The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night Volume XV Part 35

["Ittawwah" seems to be the modern Egyptian 5th form of "Tauh."

In cla.s.sical Arabic it would be "tatawwah," but in the dialect of to-day the prefix becomes "it," whose final dental here a.s.similates with the initial palatal of the root; p. 146 the word is correctly spelt with two Tashdids. The meaning is: he threw himself (with his right foot foremost) upon the horse's back.

Instances of this formation, which has now become all but general in Egyptian, are not infrequent in old Arabic, witness chapters lxxiii. and lxxiv. of the Koran, which begin with "ayyuha 'l Mudda.s.siru" and "ayyuha 'l-Muzzammilu" respectively.--ST.]

[FN#514] In text "Ramaha bi-h."

[FN#515] The vowel points in the MS. show this to be a quotation.

[FN#516] In text "Yarju," I presume an error for "yarja'u." [I believe "yarju" is an error for yajru," and the various paces to which they put their horses are meant: sometimes they galloped (ramahu), sometimes they trotted (Pedro de Alcala gives "trotar"

for "jara yajri"), sometimes they ambled (yasiru).--ST.]

[FN#517] In text "Saith the Sayer of this say so wondrous and this delectable matter seld-seen and marvellous,"--which I omit as usual.

[FN#518] In text "Sar'a 'l-Lijam."

[FN#519] The invariable practice of an agent de police in England and France, according to the detective tales of MM. Gaboriau and Du Boisgobey. In Africa the guide often attempts to follow instead of leading the party, and this proceeding should always awake suspicion.

[FN#520] In text another prothesis without apodosis: see vol. vi.

203, etc.

[FN#521] In text "Fa ghaba thalathat ayyamin" = and he (or it the mountain?) disappeared for three days. ["Ghaba" = departed, may have here the meaning of "pa.s.sed away" and three days had gone, and he ever travelling, before (ila an) he reached it.--ST.]

[FN#522] A feeling well-known to the traveller: I have often been laughed at for gazing fondly upon the scanty brown-green growth about Suez after a few months' sojourn in the wolds of Western Arabia. It is admirably expressed in that book of books Eothen (chapt. xvii.): --"The next day I entered upon Egypt, and floated along (for the delight was as the delight of bathing) through green wavy fields of rice, and pastures fresh and plentiful, and dived into the cold verdure of gra.s.ses and gardens, and quenched my hot eyes in shade, as though in deep, rus.h.i.+ng waters."

[FN#523] The writer does not mean to charge the girl with immodesty (after the style "Come to my arms, my slight acquaintance!") but to show how powerfully Fate and Fortune wrought upon her. Hence also she so readily allowed the King's son to possess her person.

[FN#524] [I read "al-Muhibbattu," fem. of "Muhibb," lover (in Tasawwuf particularly = lover of G.o.d), and take the "lam taku taslah" in the second verse for the 3rd person fem., translating: The loving maiden has come in obedience to the lover's call, proudly trailing her skirts ("tajarru min al-Tihi Azyala-ha"), and she is meet, etc.--ST.]

[FN#525] Again the work of Fate which intended to make the lovers man and wife and probably remembered the homely old English proverb, "None misses a slice from a cut loaf."

[FN#526] A little matter of about a ton at the smallest computation of 200 lbs. to each beast.

[FN#527] In text "Natawasu sawiyah" [Clerical error for "natawanasu (nataanasu, the rarely used 6th form of anisa) shuwayyah" = let us divert ourselves a little.--ST.]

[FN#528] In text "salaku-hu wa nashalu-hu." The "salk" = scoring the skin and the "nashl" = drawing meat from the cooking-pot with the fingers or a flesh-hook or anything but a ladle which would be "Gharf."

[FN#529] This account has been slightly abridged seeing that it is a twice-told tale.

[FN#530] "Written" either on the Preserved Tablet (vol. ii. 68) or on the sutures of the skull (iii. 123).

[FN#531] In Arab. "Khalat-ki insanun," meaning also to lie with.

Lat. misceo. [The same word occurs presently in another tropical sense: "Khalata-ha al-Khajal wa 'l-Haya" = shame and abashment mixed with her, i.e. suffused or overwhelmed her.--ST.]

[FN#532] In text "Istanade 'ala Shakkati-h." ["Istanada 'ala" is in the Vocabulista in Arabico rendered by "rec.u.mbere" and "s.h.i.+kkah" is a rug, while I can find no authority for "Shakkah"

as "quarter." The pa.s.sage may therefore mean he lay down on his rug. If he had been leaning against the standing horse, it would on bolting have thrown him on the ground and awaked him rudely.-- ST.]

[FN#533] "Rajul ikhtiyar," a polite term for an old man: See i.

55. In the speech of the Badawin it means a man of substance and hospitality.

[FN#534] **In**? Arab. "Wa lash: Muradi bas Ism al-Madinah." I seem to hear some Fellah speaking to me from the door of his clay hut.

[FN#535] "Madinat al-Andalus" = usually Seville.

[FN#536] In text "Kabdan," the usual form being "Kaptan," from the Ital. Capitano (iv. 85): here, however, we have the Turk.

form as in "Kapudan-pasha" = Lord High Admiral of ancient Osmanli-land.

[FN#537] Arab. "Khaznat al-Silah." When Easterns, especially Maroccan Moslems and Turkish Pilgrims, embark as pa.s.sengers, their weapons are taken from them, ticketed and placed in a safe cabin.

[FN#538] Arab. "Waka'h" = an affair (of fight).

[FN#539] i.e. crying the war-cry, "Allaho Akbar" = G.o.d is most Great (vol. ii. 89, etc.) and "La ilaha illa 'llah," the refrain of Unity: vol. ii. 236.

[FN#540] In text "A'atu Al-Wirah." ["Wirah" is gerund of the Turkish "wirmek" or "wermek," to give, to give up, and the phrase in the text corresponds to the Turkish "wirah wirmek" = to capitulate.--ST.]

[FN#541] The "buccaneers," quite as humane, made their useless prisoners "walk a plank." The slave-s.h.i.+ps, when chased and hard-driven, simply tossed the poor devil n.i.g.g.e.rs overboard; and the latter must often have died, d.a.m.ning the tender mercies of the philanthrope which had doomed them to untimely deaths instead of a comfortable middle pa.s.sage from Blackland to Whiteland.

[FN#542] [In the text "Karis.h.i.+n" = chasing, being in hot pursuit of; see Dozy, Suppl. s. v. "karash."--ST.]

[FN#543] See in Mr. Doughty's valuable "Arabia Deserta" (i. 309) how the Badawi's mare puts down her soft nose to be kissed by the sitters about the coffee-hearth.

[FN#544] In text, "Hadda 'llaho bayni wa baynak.u.m."

[FN#545] The last clause is omitted in the text which is evidently defective: MS. vol. vi. p. 180, line 7.

[FN#546] In text "Tauhan al-Husan."

[FN#547] In Abyssinia the "Khil'at" = robe of honour (see vol. i.

195) is an extensive affair composed of a dress of lion's pelt with silver-gilt b.u.t.tons, a pair of silken breeches, a cap and waist-shawl of the same material, a sword, a s.h.i.+eld and two spears; a horse with furniture of silk and silver and a mule similarly equipped. These gifts accompany the insignia of the "Order of Solomon," which are various medals bearing an imperial crown, said to represent the Hierosolymitan Temple of the Wise King, and the reverses show the Amharic legend "Yohanne Negus zei Etiopia"--John, Emperor of Ethiopia. The orders are distinguished as (1) the Grand Cross, a star of 100 grammes in ma.s.sive gold, hammer-wrought, and studded with gems, given only to royalties; (2) the Knighthood, similar, but of 50 grammes, and without jewels, intended for distinguished foreigners; (3) the Officer's Star, silver-gilt, of 50 grammes; and (4) the Companion's, of pure silver, and the same weight. All are worn round the neck save the last, which hangs upon the chest. This practice of gilding the metals prevails also in Europe, for instance in Austria, where those made of gunmetal are often gilt by the recipients contrary to all official etiquette.

[FN#548] Meaning only that the babe was perfectly beautiful.

[FN#549] In order that the cord might not be subject to the evil eye or fall into the hand of a foe who would use it magically to injure the babe. The navel-string has few superst.i.tions in England. The lower cla.s.ses mostly place over the wound a bit of cloth wherein a hole has been burned, supposing that the carbon will heal the cut, and make it fast to the babe by a "binder" or swathe round the body, as a preventative to "pot-belly." But throughout the East there are more observances. In India, on the birth of the babe, the midwife demands something s.h.i.+ning, as a rupee or piece of silver, and having touched the navel-string therewith she divides it and appropriates the glittering substance, under the pretence that the absence of the illuminating power of some such sparkling object would prevent her seeing to operate. The knife with which the umbilical cord has been cut is not used for common purposes but is left beside the puerpera until the "Chilla" (fortieth day), when "Kajjal"

(lamp-black), used by way of Kohl, is collected on it and applied to the child's eyelids. Whenever the babe is bathed or taken out of the house the knife must be carried along with it; and when they are brought in again the instrument is deposited in its former place near the mother. Lastly, on the "Chilla"-day they must slaughter with the same blade a c.o.c.k or a sheep (Herklots, chapt. i. sec. 3). Equally quaint is the treatment of the navel-string in Egypt; but Lane (M.E.) is too modest to give details.

[FN#550] In text "Sarsarah," a clerical error for "Akhaza(?) surratan." See MS. vol. vi. p. 197, line 9. [I read "sarra Surrah (Surratan)" = he tied up a purse.--ST.]

[FN#551] In the text "on account of the dust-cloud" which, we were just told, had cleared away [The translator seems to have overlooked the "kana" before "kad dakhala-hu al-Ra'b," which gives to the verb the force of a pluperfect: "and fear had entered into him at the sight of the dust-cloud."--ST.]

[FN#552] i.e. his daughter, of whom he afterwards speaks in the plur.

[FN#553] These concealments are inevitable in ancient tale and modern novel, and it need hardly be said that upon the nice conduct of them depends all the interest of the work. How careful the second-rate author is to spoil his plot by giving a needless "pregustation" of his purpose, I need hardly say.

[FN#554] The mysteries of the marriage-night are touched with a light hand because the bride had already lost her virginity.

[FN#555] In text "Abuyah," a Fellah vulgarism for Abi which latter form occurs a few lines lower down.

[FN#556] In text "Wa-Sawabi 'hu (Asabi 'a-hu?) fi hanaki-h:" this is explained in MS. p. 216: "Bi-yarza'u fi Asabi hi." [Dozy, Suppl. i. 815, gives "Sawabi'" as an irregular pl. of "Asba'"

quoting from Bresl. ed. iii. 381, 9.] I would rather say it is a regularly formed broken plural of a singular "Sabi'" = the pointing one, i.e. index, now commonly called "Sabbabah" the reviler, where the same idea of pointing at with contempt seems to prevail, and "Shahid" = the witnessing, because it is raised in giving testimony. In the plural it would be naturally generalised to "finger," and in point of fact, the sing. "Sabi'"

is used nowadays in this sense in Egypt along with the other popular form of "Suba'."