The Thousand and One Nights Volume I Part 36

NOTE 65. This expression is borrowed from the ?ur-an, ch. xlviii. v. 10.

The meaning is, "there is no power of man, but G.o.d's power is superior to it."

NOTE 66. The Prophet (Mo?ammad) is always alluded to when this form of benediction is used and the name of the person to whom it is applied is not mentioned.

NOTE 67. "Nedd" is a perfume composed of ambergris, musk, and aloes wood; or simply ambergris.

NOTE 68. Two khu?behs are recited on the occasion of the congregational Friday-prayers. It is the first of these which is here alluded to. See the next note.

NOTE 69.--_On the Congregational Friday-prayers._ The Selam (or Salutation) of Friday is a form of blessing on the Prophet and his family and companions, which is chanted by the mueddins from the mad'nehs (or towers) of the congregational mosques half an hour before noon. The worshippers begin to a.s.semble in the mosque as soon as they hear it, and, ranging themselves in rows parallel to, and facing, that side in which is the niche, that marks the direction of Mekkeh, each performs, by himself, the prayers of two rek'ahs, which are supererogatory, and then sits in his place while a reader recites part or the whole of the 18th chapter of the ?ur-an. At the call of noon, they all stand up, and each again performs, separately, the prayers of two rek'ahs, ordained by the Prophet. A minister, standing at the foot of the pulpit-stairs, then proposes to bless the Prophet: and accordingly, a second Selam is chanted by one or more other ministers stationed on an elevated platform. After this, the former minister, and the latter after him, repeat the call of noon (which the mueddins have before chanted from the mad'nehs); and the former enjoins silence. The chief minister (Kha?eeb, or Imam,) has already seated himself on the top step or platform of the pulpit. He now rises, and recites a khu?beh of praise to G.o.d and exhortation to the congregation; and if in a country or town acquired by arms from unbelievers, he holds a wooden sword, resting its point on the ground.[338] Each of the congregation next offers up some private supplication; after which, the Kha?eeb recites a second khu?beh, which is always the same, or nearly so; part, of a similar nature to the first, but chiefly, prayer for the Prophet and his family, &c., and for the general welfare of the Muslims. This finished, the Kha?eeb or Imam descends from the pulpit, and, stationed before the niche, after a form of words[339] differing slightly from the call to prayer has been chanted by the ministers on the elevated platform before mentioned, recites the divinely-ordained prayers of Friday (two rek'ahs), while the people do the same silently, keeping time with him exactly in the various postures. Thus are completed the Friday-prayers; but some of the congregation remain, and perform the ordinary divinely-ordained prayers of noon.[340]

NOTE 70. So in the Cairo edition. El-Munta?ir bi-llah was the great-grandson of Haroon Er-Rasheed, and acceded to the throne in the year of the Flight 247 (A.D. 861). A slight anachronism, therefore, is here presented, unless we suppose that the hero of the story told by the Sul?an's steward was an old man at the period of the misfortune of the humpback. The reign of El-Munta?ir was somewhat less than six months. The copy from which the old translation was made, and the edition of Breslau, date the adventure of the barber, here related, more than three centuries and a half later, in the reign of El-Musta?ir bi-llah.

NOTE 71. The practice of spunging, or the intrusion of strangers at entertainments, has long been very prevalent in Arab towns. An instance has been given towards the close of Note 22 to Chapter iii.

NOTE 72. I have altered the order in which the brothers are described, and omitted two particulars, to agree with the sequel.

NOTE 73. The next paragraph is translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights; being omitted in the Cairo edition. An equal portion, later, is wanting in the old translation.

NOTE 74.--_On Augurations with respect to Marriage._ This pa.s.sage alludes to an astrological calculation made with the view of determining by what sign of the zodiac the two persons are influenced who contemplate becoming man and wife, and thence ascertaining whether they will agree. This is often done in the present day by adding together the numerical values of the letters composing his or her name and that of the mother, and, if I remember right, subtracting from 12 the whole sum if this is less than 12, or what remains after subtracting, or dividing by, 12. Thus is obtained the number of the sign. The twelve signs, commencing with Aries, correspond respectively with the elements of fire, earth, air, water, fire, earth, and so on; and if the signs of the two parties indicate the same element, it is inferred that they will agree; but if they indicate different elements, the inference is, that the one will be affected by the other in the same manner as the element of the one is by that of the other: thus, if the element of the man is fire, and that of the woman, water, he will be subject to her rule.

Among other calculations of the same kind is the following, which my sheykh has mentioned in a marginal note on this pa.s.sage, in the copy from which I translate.--The numerical values of the letters composing the name of each of the two parties are added together, and one of these two sums is subtracted from the other: if the remainder is an uneven number, the inference is unfavourable; but if even, the reverse.

In the present instance, the dupe, knowing that there are various modes of divining whether he will be happy with his wife, is made to believe that his fortune depends upon the mode, instead of the result, of the calculation.

NOTE 75. Here, in my original, "Ba?ba?;" but this, as before mentioned, was the name of the _third_ brother.

NOTE 76. "?uffeh," signifying "a basket of palm-leaves," and "a dry gourd," seems to be here equivalent to "empty-head."

NOTE 77. The blind in Egypt are notorious for their impudence.--It is related that Moses, while bathing one day in the Nile, saw a blind man pa.s.s by, and, being moved with pity, prayed that G.o.d would restore his sight. His prayer was answered; but as soon as the eyes of the blind man were opened, he seized the clothes of his benefactor, which were lying on the bank, and protested that they were his own. Moses, therefore, now prayed that the thief might be struck blind again; and G.o.d, answering his prayer, said, O Moses, know that I am wiser than thou with respect to my creatures.--This tradition was related to me in Cairo.

NOTE 78. It is generally thus that an injured Muslim calls others to his aid.

NOTE 79. Like the natives of Egypt in the period of the Roman domination,[341] its modern inhabitants, and the Arabs of other countries (though, I believe, in a less degree), are notorious for their obstinacy in refusing to pay their taxes until they have been severely beaten. They well know that, the more readily they pay, the more will be exacted from them; and are often heard to boast of the number of stripes which they have received before yielding their money. The same obstinacy is generally displayed by an Arab accused of any offence; and often, even by a witness: in either case the man fears that, should he tell at once all he can, the judge will try whether the stick or the kurbaj[342]

will elicit a further confession.

NOTE 80.--_On the general Corruptness of Muslim Judges._ Khi?r Bey (whether he was a judge I do not know), conversing one day with his friends on the difficulties experienced in the exercise of judicature, one of the company remarked, "In my opinion, the greatest difficulty that is met with is, when one of the parties is rich, and the other, poor."--"In that case," replied Khi?r Bey, "I find none; for it is clear that the rich will gain his cause, and the poor will lose: but the great difficulty is, when the two parties are equally rich and powerful. If thou, he continued, being a poor man, have a suit against one who is rich and powerful, beware of applying to the ?a?ee; for he will not fail to condemn thee: my advice is, that thou desist altogether from thy suit, and rather throw thyself at the feet of thine adversary; for thou wilt obtain more justice from him than from the ?a?ee."[343]--For a justification of the opinion here expressed, see my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iv.

NOTE 81.--_On good and evil Omens._ Of omens I have already treated, in Note 15 to Chapter i.: but a few words on this subject must be here added.--It is common to draw a lucky or unlucky omen from the first object seen on going out in the morning; and according as that object is pleasant or the contrary, the person says, "my morning is good," or "---- bad." A one-eyed man is regarded as of evil omen; and especially one who is blind of the _left_ eye. Many a person is related to have suffered for having an unlucky countenance.

NOTE 82. The portion of this story comprised in the first paragraph having been the subject of a specimen of the present publication, translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and printed and distributed when I had not in my possession the copy of the original which I have taken as my general standard, it is here given nearly in the same words: I have only made a few slight additions and alterations derived from a comparison of the two editions. Some of the notes inserted in the specimen I omit in this place, as they relate to matters already explained.--Hole remarks (in page 223), that this part of the Barber's story of his Fifth Brother is derived "from an Indian fable of the remotest antiquity ... found in the Heeto-pades of Veeshnoo-Sarma," in which a Brahman "inadvertently breaks his pottery ware ... with a walking-stick ... in the act of suppressing the outrageous jealousy of four beautiful but turbulent wives."

NOTE 83. "El-Feshshar" signifies "the Foolish Talker," or "Vain Boaster." I have subst.i.tuted this name for "El-'Ashshar," the reading in my original. In the Arabic characters, the latter differs from the former in little more than the want of a point, and has no appropriate meaning. It appears that, in most copies of the original, the barber's Fifth Brother is surnamed "En-Neshshar," or "the Sawyer," perhaps in allusion to his incessant loquacity: but this, also, in the Arabic characters, very nearly resembles "El-Feshshar," which I doubt not to be the right name.

NOTE 84. There is nothing very extravagant in this hope of the barber's brother; for in the East, persons frequently rise from very low to very high stations; and it is remarkable that, notwithstanding their usual pride, they generally retain the appellation of the trade or craft which they or their fathers pursued, however ign.o.ble, before their elevation.

It is common for a great man to distinguish himself by adding to his name the appellation of "the druggist or perfumer," or "the grocer,"

&c.; and he is not a whit the less respected on this account.

NOTE 85. The Eastern grandee rides not at the head or rear of his attendants, but in the midst of them.

NOTE 86. Persons distinguished by rank or wealth or learning are saluted by many of the shopkeepers and pa.s.sengers as they pa.s.s through the streets of Eastern cities, and often greeted with a short ejaculatory prayer for the continuance of their life and happiness. When a very great man rides through the streets, most of the shopkeepers rise to him, and pay their respect to him by inclining the head, and touching the lips and forehead or turban with the fingers of the right hand.

NOTE 87. See Note 12 to Chapter iii.

NOTE 88. He could scarcely shew his pride more strongly; for it is an affront to reject a present.

NOTE 89. An Arab lady of high rank seldom makes use of her feet but to move from one chamber to another; when she goes abroad, she always rides: to stand for many minutes together is, therefore, fatiguing to her.

NOTE 90. See the close of Note 39 to Chapter iv.

NOTE 91. This is said either to shew his vulgarity or that the weather was sultry.

NOTE 92. "El-Melee?ah" signifies "the Beautiful:" it is derived from "mil?" (salt, &c.).

NOTE 93. An occurrence of a similar nature, which happened a few years ago in Cairo, was related to me by one of my friends there.--An old woman frequented the tomb of a saint in that city, near the eastern gate called the Bab el-Ma?roo?, to which many women afflicted with disease or barrenness often resorted to offer up prayers, believing their pet.i.tions would be effectual through the saint's intercession; and she was in the habit of enticing ladies from this tomb to the house of her husband, which was near by, under pretence of his serving them with medicines or with charms. The unsuspecting victim, being desired to go thither alone, was conducted by the old woman to an upper room, at the end of which the man was seated; and in walking over the matted floor to approach him, suddenly fell through a trap-door into a place so deep that the fall rendered her senseless. In this state, she was put to death; and as ladies in Cairo always wear valuable ornaments and costly clothes, the murderers were sure of obtaining considerable spoil.

NOTE 94. This money, we are to understand, was prepared for the purpose of giving those presents which are customary from a guest at a marriage-festivity; but the mention of a smaller sum would have been more proper. It is given to the singing-women and tire-women who, in great houses, parade the bride through the different apartments, and display her in different rich suits of attire before the bridegroom.

NOTE 95.--_On the Handkerchief, and Signet, of Indemnity._ Sometimes, the handkerchief, and sometimes, the signet, or seal-ring, is given as a pledge of indemnity.--It was a frequent custom of many a chief of the Memlooks of Egypt (there commonly called "the Ghuzz"), to bastinade men in the court of his mansion (when he desired to make a show of strict justice), in order that one of the women of the family, hearing the cries, might drop a handkerchief from a window, and so the punishment might soon cease, in respect for the ?areem, whose protection is often appealed to by offenders.

NOTE 96. The t.i.tle of "Sul?an" is here, and afterwards, given to the Khaleefeh; and it has been so employed by a celebrated historian, El-Ma?reezee.[344]

NOTE 97. So, apparently, in most copies; but in the Cairo edition, "of the sons of the Kings." It is said to have been a custom of some of the Barmekees (the family so renowned for their generosity) to keep open house during the hours of meals, and to allow no one who applied at such times for admission to be repulsed.

NOTE 98. "Sikbaj" is a dish composed of meat, wheat-flour, and vinegar.

NOTE 99. "?a?af" is a name applied to various kinds of sweet pastry: particularly to a kind of small pancakes, made of a thin paste of fine flour and water, about three inches broad, and a sixth of an inch or less in thickness, baked upon a copper tray over a fire, like kunafeh (the composition of which is the same), and eaten with honey or sugar: also to cakes composed of fine flour, treacle or honey, and sesame-oil.

The sirup mentioned in the same sentence is (as my sheykh states in a marginal note) treacle thickened over the fire.--The proper singular of ?a?af, namely, "?a?eefeh," is seldom used; one of these cakes being generally called "fard ?a?af." Sometimes, it appears, they were perfumed with musk.

NOTE 100. The "mith?al" is the weight of a deenar, or a dirhem and a half,--in Cairo, about 71-1/2 or 72 English grains.

NOTE 101. See above, Note 96.

NOTE 102. By "Arabs," we are here to understand Bedawees, or Arabs of the Desert, who are termed, by the older writers, "A?rab," or "A?rabees;" but in my original, as in other late works, "'Arab," which was the _old_ appellation of the _townspeople_ and _villagers_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[323] Sale's Koran; note near the close of chap. ii.

[324] See De Sacy, Relation de l'Egypte par Abd-allatif, pp.

381 et seq.; and Quatremere, Histoire des Sultans Mamlouks, vol. i. pp. 109 et seq., a work of very great value, especially for the notes.

[325] In his "Khi?a?;" description of the princ.i.p.al street of Cairo, and its branches (MS. in my possession).

[326] In his "Khi?a?;" description of the princ.i.p.al street of Cairo, and its branches; and account of the Khans.

[327] Idem; account of the ?eysareeyehs; and description of the princ.i.p.al street of Cairo, and its branches.

[328] The orthography of this celebrated name is disputed; and I may therefore mention that I have found it written Khall'kan in an Arabic MS. of the year of the Flight 843; and in many MSS. in which the reduplication of the _l_ is not marked, the vowel _a_ is given to the first syllable. According to the general opinion of the learned in Cairo, it is Khillikan.