the Fisherman took up one of the papers and handed it to the Caliph he
said, “O piper, what have come out to me therein? Hide naught thereof.”
So Al-Rashid received it and passed it on to Ja’afar and said to him,
“Read what is therein.” He looked at it and said, “There is no Majesty
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” Said the
Caliph, “Good news,[243] O Ja’afar? What seest thou therein?” Answered
the Wazir, “O Commander of the Faithful, there came up from the
paper:—Let the Fisherman receive an hundred blows with a stick.” So the
Caliph commanded to beat the Fisherman and they gave him an hundred
sticks: after which he rose, saying, “Allah damn this, O Bran-belly! Are
jail and sticks part of the game?” Then said Ja’afar, “O Commander of
the Faithful, this poor devil is come to the river, and how shall he go
away thirsting? We hope that among the alms-deeds of the Commander of
the Faithful, he may have leave to take another paper, so haply somewhat
may come out wherewithal he may succour his poverty.” Said the Caliph,
“By Allah, O Ja’afar, if he take another paper and death be written
therein, I will assuredly kill him, and thou wilt be the cause.”
Answered Ja’afar, “If he die he will be at rest.” But Khalifah the
Fisherman said to him, “Allah ne’er gladden thee with good news! Have I
made Baghdad strait upon you, that ye seek to slay me?” Quoth Ja’afar,
“Take thee a paper and crave the blessing of Allah Almighty!” So he put
out his hand and taking a paper, gave it to Ja’afar, who read it and was
silent. The Caliph asked, “Why art thou silent, O son of Yahya?”; and he
answered, “O Commander of the Faithful, there hath come out on this
paper:—Naught shall be given to the Fisherman.” Then said the Caliph,
“His daily bread will not come from us: bid him fare forth from before
our face.” Quoth Ja’afar, “By the claims of thy pious forefathers, let
him take a third paper, it may be it will bring him alimony;” and quoth
the Caliph, “Let him take one and no more.” So he put out his hand and
took a third paper, and behold, therein was written, “Let the Fisherman
be given one dinar.” Ja’afar cried to him, “I sought good fortune for
thee, but Allah willed not to thee aught save this dinar.” And Khalifah
answered, “Verily, a dinar for every hundred sticks were rare good luck,
may Allah not send thy body health!” The Caliph laughed at him and
Ja’afar took him by the hand and led him out. When he reached the door,
Sandal the eunuch saw him and said to him, “Hither, O Fisherman! Give us
portion of that which the Commander of the Faithful hath bestowed on
thee, whilst jesting with thee.” Replied Khalifah, “By Allah, O Tulip,
thou art right! Wilt thou share with me, O nigger? Indeed, I have eaten
stick to the tune of an hundred blows and have earned one dinar, and
thou art but too welcome to it.” So saying, he threw him the dinar and
went out, with the tears flowing down the plain of his cheeks. When the
Eunuch saw him in this plight, he knew that he had spoken sooth and
called to the lads to fetch him back: so they brought him back and
Sandal, putting his hand to his pouch, pulled out a red purse, whence he
emptied an hundred golden dinars into the Fisherman’s hand, saying,
“Take this gold in payment of thy fish and wend thy ways.” So Khalifah,
in high good humour, took the hundred ducats and the Caliph’s one dinar
and went his way, and forgot the beating. Now, as Allah willed it for
the furthering of that which He had decreed, he passed by the mart of
the handmaidens and seeing there a mighty ring where many folks were
forgathering, said to himself, “What is this crowd?” So he brake through
the merchants and others, who said, “Make wide the way for Skipper
Rapscallion,[244] and let him pass.” Then he looked and behold, he saw a
chest, with an eunuch seated thereon and an old man standing by it, and
the Shaykh was crying, “O merchants, O men of money, who will hasten and
hazard his coin for this chest of unknown contents from the Palace of
the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, wife of the Commander of the Faithful?
How much shall I say for you, Allah bless you all!” Quoth one of the
merchants, “By Allah, this is a risk! But I will say one word and no
blame to me. Be it mine for twenty dinars.” Quoth another, “Fifty,” and
they went on bidding, one against other, till the price reached an
hundred ducats. Then said the crier, “Will any of you bid more, O
merchants?” And Khalifah the Fisherman said, “Be it mine for an hundred
dinars and one dinar.” The merchants, hearing these words, thought he
was jesting and laughed at him, saying, “O eunuch sell it to Khalifah
for an hundred dinars and one dinar!” Quoth the eunuch, “By Allah, I
will sell it to none but him! Take it, O Fisherman, the Lord bless thee
in it, and here with thy gold.” So Khalifah pulled out the ducats and
gave them to the eunuch, who, the bargain being duly made, delivered to
him the chest and bestowed the price in alms on the spot; after which he
returned to the Palace and acquainted the Lady Zubaydah with what he had
done, whereat she rejoiced. Meanwhile the Fisherman hove the chest on
shoulder, but could not carry it on this wise for the excess of its
weight; so he lifted it on to his head and thus bore it to the quarter
where he lived. Here he set it down and being weary, sat awhile,
bemusing what had befallen him and saying in himself, “Would Heaven I
knew what is in this chest!” Then he opened the door of his lodging and
haled the chest till he got it into his closet; after which he strove to
open it, but failed. Quoth he, “What folly possessed me to buy this
chest? There is no help for it but to break it open and see what is
herein.” So he applied himself to the lock, but could not open it, and
said to himself, “I will leave it till to-morrow.” Then he would have
stretched him out to sleep, but could find no room; for the chest filled
the whole closet. So he got upon it and lay him down; but, when he had
lain awhile, behold, he felt something stir under him whereat sleep
forsook him and his reason fled.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Khalifah
the Fisherman lay down upon the chest and thus tarried awhile, behold,
something stirred beneath him; whereat he was affrighted and his reason
fled. So he arose and cried, “Meseems there be Jinns in the chest.
Praise to Allah who suffered me not to open it! For, had I done so, they
had risen against me in the dark and slain me, and from them would have
befallen me naught of good.” Then he lay down again when, lo! the chest
moved a second time, more than before; whereupon he sprang to his feet
and said, “There it goes again: but this is terrible!” And he hastened
to look for the lamp, but could not find it and had not the wherewithal
to buy another. So he went forth and cried out, “Ho, people of the
quarter!” Now the most part of the folk were asleep; but they awoke at
his crying and asked, “What aileth thee, O Khalifah?” He answered,
“Bring me a lamp, for the Jinn are upon me.” They laughed at him and
gave him a lamp, wherewith he returned to his closet. Then he smote the
lock of the chest with a stone and broke it and opening it, saw a damsel
like a Houri lying asleep within. Now she had been drugged with Bhang,
but at that moment she threw up the stuff and awoke; then she opened her
eyes and feeling herself confined and cramped, moved. At this sight
quoth Khalifah, “By Allah, O my lady, whence art thou?”; and quoth she,
“Bring me Jessamine, and Narcissus.[245]” And Khalifah answered, “There
is naught here but Henna-flowers.[246]” Thereupon she came to herself
and considering Khalifah, said to him, “What art thou?” presently
adding, “And where am I?” He said, “Thou art in my lodging.” Asked she,
“Am I not in the Palace of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid?” And quoth he,
“What manner of thing is Al-Rashid?[247] O madwoman, Thou are naught but
my slave-girl: I bought thee this very day for an hundred dinars and one
dinar, and brought thee home, and thou wast asleep in this here chest.”
When she heard these words she said to him, “What is thy name?” Said he,
“My name is Khalifah. How comes my star to have grown propitious, when I
know my ascendant to have been otherwise?” She laughed and cried, “Spare
me this talk! Hast thou anything to eat?” Replied he, “No, by Allah, nor
yet to drink! I have not eaten these two days and am now in want of a
morsel.” She asked, “Hast thou no money?”; and he said, “Allah keep this
chest which hath beggared me: I gave all I had for it and am become
bankrupt.” The damsel laughed at him and said, “Up with thee and seek of
thy neighbours somewhat for me to eat, for I am hungry.” So he went
forth and cried out, “Ho, people of the quarter!” Now the folk were
asleep; but they awoke and asked, “What aileth thee, O Khalifah?”
Answered He, “O my neighbours, I am hungry and have nothing to eat.” So
one came down to him with a bannock and another with broken meats and a
third with a bittock of cheese and a fourth with a cucumber; and so on
till his lap was full and he returned to his closet and laid the whole
between her hands, saying, “Eat.” But she laughed at him, saying, “How
can I eat of this, when I have not a mug of water whereof to drink? I
fear to choke with a mouthful and die.” Quoth he, “I will fill thee this
pitcher.[248]” So he took the pitcher and going forth, stood in the
midst of the street and cried out, saying, “Ho, people of the quarter!”
Quoth they, “What calamity is upon thee to-night,[249] O Khalifah!” And
he said, “Ye gave me food and I ate; but now I am athirst; so give me to
drink.” Thereupon one came down to him with a mug and another with an
ewer and a third with a gugglet; and he filled his pitcher and, bearing
it back, said to the damsel, “O my lady, thou lackest nothing now.”
Answered she, “True, I want nothing more at this present.” Quoth he,
“Speak to me and say me thy story.” And quoth she, “Fie upon thee! An
thou knowest me not, I will tell thee who I am. I am Kut al-Kulub, the
Caliph’s handmaiden, and the Lady Zubaydah was jealous of me; so she
drugged me with Bhang and set me in this chest,” presently adding
“Alhamdolillah—praised be God—for that the matter hath come to easy
issue and no worse! But this befel me not save for thy good luck, for
thou wilt certainly get of the Caliph Al-Rashid money galore, that will
be the means of thine enrichment.” Quoth Khalifah, “Is not Al-Rashid he
in whose Palace I was imprisoned?” “Yes,” answered she; and he said, “By
Allah, never saw I more niggardly wight than he, that piper little of
good and wit! He gave me an hundred blows with a stick yesterday and but
one dinar, for all I taught him to fish and made him my partner; but he
played me false.” Replied she, “Leave this unseemly talk, and open thine
eyes and look thou bear thyself respectfully, whenas thou seest him
after this, and thou shalt win thy wish.” When he heard her words, it
was if he had been asleep and awoke; and Allah removed the veil from his
judgment, because of his good luck,[250] and he answered, “On my head
and eyes!” Then said he to her, “Sleep, in the name of Allah.[251]” So
she lay down and fell asleep (and he afar from her) till the morning,
when she sought of him inkcase[252] and paper and, when they were
brought wrote to Ibn al-Kirnas, the Caliph’s friend, acquainting him
with her case and how at the end of all that had befallen her she was
with Khalifah the Fisherman, who had bought her. Then she gave him the
scroll, saying, “Take this and hie thee to the jewel-market and ask for
the shop of Ibn al-Kirnas the Jeweller and give him this paper and speak
not.” “I hear and I obey,” answered Khalifah and going with the scroll
to the market, enquired for the shop of Ibn al-Kirnas. They directed him
thither and on entering it he saluted the merchant, who returned his
salam with contempt and said to him, “What dost thou want?” Thereupon he
gave him the letter and he took it, but read it not, thinking the
Fisherman a beggar, who sought an alms of him, and said to one of his
lads, “Give him half a dirham.” Quoth Khalifah, “I want no alms; read
the paper.” So Ibn al-Kirnas took the letter and read it; and no sooner
knew its import than he kissed it and laying it on his head——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ibn
al-Kirnas read the letter and knew its import, he kissed it and laid it
on his head; then he arose and said to Khalifah, “O my brother, where is
thy house?” Asked Khalifah, “What wantest thou with my house? Wilt thou
go thither and steal my slave-girl?” Then Ibn al-Kirnas answered, “Not
so: on the contrary, I will buy thee somewhat whereof you may eat, thou
and she.” So he said, “My house is in such a quarter;” and the merchant
rejoined, “Thou hast done well. May Allah not give thee health, O
unlucky one[253]!” Then he called out to two of his slaves and said to
them, “Carry this man to the shop of Mohsin the Shroff and say to him,
“O Mohsin, give this man a thousand dinars of gold;” then bring him back
to me in haste.” So they carried him to the money-changer, who paid him
the money, and returned with him to their master, whom they found
mounted on a dapple she-mule worth a thousand dinars, with Mamelukes and
pages about him, and by his side another mule like his own, saddled and
bridled. Quoth the jeweller to Khalifah, “Bismillah, mount this mule.”
Replied he, “I won’t; for by Allah, I fear she throw me;” and quoth Ibn
al-Kirnas, “By God, needs must thou mount.” So he came up and mounting
her, face to crupper, caught hold of her tail and cried out; whereupon
she threw him on the ground and they laughed at him; but he rose and
said, “Did I not tell thee I would not mount this great jenny-ass?”
Thereupon Ibn al-Kirnas left him in the market and repairing to the
Caliph, told him of the damsel; after which he returned and removed her
to his own house. Meanwhile Khalifah went home to look after the
handmaid and found the people of the quarter foregathering and saying,
“Verily, Khalifah is to-day in a terrible pickle[254]! Would we knew
whence he can have gotten this damsel?” Quoth one of them, “He is a mad
pimp: haply he found her lying on the road drunken, and carried her to
his own house, and his absence showeth that he knoweth his offence.” As
they were talking, behold, up came Khalifah, and they said to him, “What
a plight is thine, O unhappy! knowest thou not what is come to thee?” He
replied, “No, by Allah!” and they said, “But just now there came
Mamelukes and took away thy slave-girl whom thou stolest, and sought for
thee, but found thee not.” Asked Khalifah, “And how came they to take my
slave-girl?” and quoth one, “Had he fallen in their way, they had slain
him.” But he, so far from heeding them, returned running to the shop of
Ibn al-Kirnas, whom he met riding, and said to him, “By Allah, ’twas not
right of thee to wheedle me and meanwhile send thy Mamelukes to take my
slave-girl!” Replied the jeweller, “O idiot, come with me and hold thy
tongue.” So he took him and carried him into a house handsomely builded,
where he found the damsel seated on a couch of gold, with ten
slave-girls like moons round her. Sighting her Ibn al-Kirnas kissed
ground before her and she said, “What hast thou done with my new master,
who bought me with all he owned?” He replied, “O my lady, I gave him a
thousand golden dinars;” and related to her Khalifah’s history from
first to last, whereat she laughed and said, “Blame him not; for he is
but a common wight. These other thousand dinars are a gift from me to
him and Almighty Allah willing, he shall win of the Caliph what shall
enrich him.” As they were talking, there came an eunuch from the
Commander of the Faithful, in quest of Kut al-Kulub for, when he knew
that she was in the house of Ibn al-Kirnas, he could not endure the
severance, but bade bring her forthwith. So she repaired to the Palace,
taking Khalifah with her, and going into the presence, kissed ground
before the Caliph, who rose to her, saluting and welcoming her, and
asked her how she had fared with him who had bought her. She replied,
“He is a man, Khalifah the Fisherman hight, and there he standeth at the
door. He telleth me that he hath an account to settle with the Commander
of the Faithful, by reason of a partnership between him and the Caliph
in fishing.” Asked Al-Rashid, “Is he at the door?” and she answered,
“Yes.” So the Caliph sent for him and he kissed ground before him and
wished him endurance of glory and prosperity. The Caliph marvelled at
him and laughed at him and said to him, “O Fisherman, wast thou in very
deed my partner[255] yesterday?” Khalifah took his meaning and
heartening his heart and summoning spirit replied, “By Him who bestowed
upon thee the succession to thy cousin,[256] I know her not in anywise
and have had no commerce with her save by way of sight and speech!” Then
he repeated to him all that had befallen him, since he last saw
him,[257] whereat the Caliph laughed and his breast broadened and he
said to Khalifah, “Ask of us what thou wilt, O thou who bringest to
owners their own!” But he was silent; so the Caliph ordered him fifty
thousand dinars of gold and a costly dress of honour such as great
Sovrans don, and a she-mule, and gave him black slaves of the Súdán to
serve him, so that he became as he were one of the Kings of that time.
The Caliph was rejoiced at the recovery of his favourite and knew that
all this was the doing of his cousin-wife, the Lady Zubaydah,——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph
rejoiced at the recovery of Kut al-Kulub and knew that all this was the
doing of the Lady Zubaydah, his cousin-wife; wherefore he was sore
enraged against her and held aloof from her a great while, visiting her
not neither inclining to pardon her. When she was certified of this, she
was sore concerned for his wrath and her face, that was wont to be rosy,
waxed pale and wan till, when her patience was exhausted, she sent a
letter to her cousin, the Commander of the Faithful making her excuses
to him and confessing her offences, and ending with these verses:—
I long once more the love that was between us to regain, ✿ That I may
quench the fire of grief and bate the force of bane.
O lords of me, have ruth upon the stress my passion deals ✿ Enough to me
is what you doled of sorrow and of pain.
’Tis life to me an deign you keep the troth you deigned to plight ✿ ’Tis
death to me an troth you break and fondest vows profane:
Given I’ve sinned a sorry sin, yet grant me ruth, for naught ✿ By Allah,
sweeter is than friend who is of pardon fain.
When the Lady Zubaydah’s letter reached the Caliph, and reading it he
saw that she confessed her offence and sent her excuses to him therefor,
he said to himself, “Verily, all sins doth Allah forgive; aye, Gracious,
Merciful is He!”[258] And he returned her an answer, expressing
satisfaction and pardon and forgiveness for what was past, whereat she
rejoiced greatly. As for Khalifah, the Fisherman, the Caliph assigned
him a monthly solde of fifty dinars, and took him into especial favour,
which would lead to rank and dignity, honour and worship. Then he kissed
ground before the Commander of the Faithful and went forth with stately
gait. When he came to the door, the Eunuch Sandal, who had given him the
hundred dinars, saw him and knowing him, said to him, “O Fisherman,
whence all this?” So he told him all that had befallen him, first and
last, whereat Sandal rejoiced, because he had been the cause of his
enrichment, and said to him, “Wilt thou not give me largesse of this
wealth which is now become thine?” So Khalifah put hand to pouch and
taking out a purse containing a thousand dinars, gave it to the Eunuch,
who said, “Keep thy coins and Allah bless thee therein!” and marvelled
at his manliness and at the liberality of his soul, for all his late
poverty.[259] Then leaving the eunuch, Khalifah mounted his she-mule and
rode, with the slaves’ hands on her crupper, till he came to his lodging
at the Khan, whilst the folk stared at him in surprise for that which
had betided him of advancement. When he alighted from his beast they
accosted him and enquired the cause of his change from poverty to
prosperity, and he told them all that had happened to him from incept to
conclusion. Then he bought a fine mansion and laid out thereon much
money, till it was perfect in all points. And he took up his abode
therein and was wont to recite thereon these two couplets:—
Behold a house that’s like the Dwelling of Delight;[260] ✿ Its aspect
heals the sick and banishes despite.
Its sojourn for the great and wise appointed is, ✿ And Fortune fair
therein abideth day and night.
Then, as soon as he was settled in his house, he sought him in marriage
the daughter of one of the chief men of the city, a handsome girl, and
went in unto her and led a life of solace and satisfaction, joyaunce and
enjoyment; and he rose to passing affluence and exceeding prosperity.
So, when he found himself in this fortunate condition, he offered up
thanks to Allah (extolled and excelled be He!) for what He had bestowed
on him of wealth exceeding and of favours ever succeeding, praising his
Lord with the praise of the grateful and chanting the words of the
poet:—
To Thee be praise, O Thou who showest unremitting grace; ✿ O Thou whose
universal bounties high and low embrace!
To Thee be praise from me! Then deign accept my praise for I ✿ Accept
Thy boons and gifts with grateful soul in every case.
Thou hast with favours overwhelmed me, benefits and largesse ✿ And
gracious doles my memory ne’er ceaseth to retrace.
All men from mighty main, Thy grace and goodness, drain and drink; ✿ And
in their need Thou, only Thou, to them art refuge-place!
Thou heapest up, O Lord, Thy mercy-signs on mortal men; ✿ Thou pardonest
man’s every sin though he be high or base:
So for the sake of him who came to teach mankind in ruth ✿ Prophet,
pure, truthful-worded scion of the noblest race;
Ever be Allah’s blessing and His peace on him and all ✿ His aids[261]
and kin while pilgrims fare his noble tomb to face!
And on his helpmeets[262] one and all, Companions great and good, ✿
Through time Eternal while the bird shall sing in shady wood!
And thereafter Khalifah continued to pay frequent visits to the Caliph
Harun al-Rashid, with whom he found acceptance and who ceased not to
overwhelm him with boons and bounty: and he abode in the enjoyment of
the utmost honour and happiness and joy and gladness and in riches more
than sufficing and in rank ever rising; brief, a sweet life and a
savoury, pure as pleasurable, till there came to him the Destroyer of
delights and the Sunderer of societies; and extolled be the perfection
of Him to whom belong glory and permanence and He is the Living, the
Eternal, who shall never die!
-----
Footnote 186:
This is so rare, even amongst the poorest classes in the East, that it
is mentioned with some emphasis.
Footnote 187:
A beauty amongst the Egyptians, not the Arabs.
Footnote 188:
True Fellah-“chaff.”
Footnote 189:
Alluding to the well-known superstition, which has often appeared in
The Nights, that the first object seen in the morning, such as a crow,
a cripple, or a cyclops determines the fortunes of the day. Notices in
Eastern literature are as old as the days of the Hitopadesa; and there
is a something instinctive in the idea to a race of early risers. At
an hour when the senses are most impressionable the aspect of
unpleasant spectacles has double effect.
Footnote 190:
Arab. “Masúkah,” the stick used for driving cattle, _bâton gourdin_
(Dozy). Lane applies the word to a wooden plank used for levelling the
ground.
Footnote 191:
_i.e._ the words I am about to speak to thee.
Footnote 192:
Arab. “Sahífah,” which may mean “page” (Lane) or “book” (Payne).
Footnote 193:
Pronounce, “Abussa’ádát” = Father of Prosperities: Lane imagines that
it came from the Jew’s daughter being called “Sa’adat.” But the latter
is the Jew’s wife (Night dcccxxxiii) and the word in the text is
plural.
Footnote 194:
Arab. “Furkh samak” lit. a fish-chick, an Egyptian vulgarism.
Footnote 195:
Arab. “Al-Rasíf”; usually a river-quay, levée, an embankment. Here it
refers to the great dyke which distributed the Tigris-water.
Footnote 196:
Arab. “Dajlah,” see vol. i, p. 180. It is evidently the origin of the
biblical “Hid-dekel” “Hid” = fierceness, swiftness.
Footnote 197:
Arab. “Bayáz” a kind of Silurus (_S. Bajad_, Forsk.) which Sonnini
calls Bayatto, Saksatt and Hébedé; also Bogar (Bakar, an ox). The skin
is lubricous, the flesh is soft and insipid and the fish often grows
to the size of a man. Captain Speke and I found huge specimens in the
Tanganyika Lake.
Footnote 198:
Arab. “Mu’allim,” vulg. “M’allim,” prop. = teacher, master esp. of a
trade, a craft. In Egypt and Syria it is a civil address to a Jew or a
Christian, as Hájj is to a Moslem.
Footnote 199:
Arab. “Gharámah,” an exaction, usually on the part of government like
a corvée etc. The Éuropeo-Egyptian term is _Avania_ (Ital.) or
_Avanie_ (French.)
Footnote 200:
Arab. “Sayyib-hu” an Egyptian vulgarism found also in Syria. Hence
Sáibah, a woman who lets herself go (a-whoring) etc. It is syn. with
“Dashar,” which Dozy believes to be a softening of Jashar; as Jashsh
became Dashsh.
Footnote 201:
The Silurus is generally so called in English on account of the length
of its feelers acting mustachios.
Footnote 202:
See Night dcccvii, vol. viii. p. 94.
Footnote 203:
This extraordinary confusion of two distinct religious mythologies
cannot be the result of ignorance. Educated Moslems know at least as
much as Christians do, on these subjects, but the Ráwi or story-teller
speaks to the “Gallery.” In fact it becomes a mere “chaff” and The
Nights give some neat specimens of our modern linguistic.
Footnote 204:
See vol. ii. 197. “Al-Siddíkah” (fem.) is a title of Ayishah, who,
however, does not appear to have deserved it.
Footnote 205:
The Jew’s wife.
Footnote 206:
Here is a double entendre. The fisherman meant a word or two. The Jew
understood the Shibboleth of the Moslem Creed, popularly known as the
“Two Words,”—I testify that there is no Ilah (god) but Allah (the God)
and I testify that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah. Pronouncing
this formula would make the Jew a Moslem. Some writers are surprised
to see a Jew ordering a Moslem to be flogged; but the former was rich
and the latter was poor. Even during the worst days of Jewish
persecutions their money-bags were heavy enough to lighten the greater
part, if not the whole of their disabilities. And the Moslem saying
is, The Jew is never your (Moslem or Christian) equal: he must be
either above you or below you. This is high, because unintentional
praise of the (self-) Chosen People.
Footnote 207:
He understands by the “two words” (Kalmatáni) the Moslem’s double
profession of belief; and Khalifah’s reply embodies the popular idea
that the number of Moslems (who will be saved) is preordained and that
no art of man can add to it or take from it.
Footnote 208:
Arab. Mamarr al-Tujjár (passing-place of the traders) which Lane
renders “A chamber within the place through which the merchants
passed.” At the end of the tale (Night dcccxlv.) we find him living in
a Khan and the Bresl. Edit. (see my terminal note) makes him dwell in
a magazine (_i.e._ ground-floor store-room) of a ruined Khan.
Footnote 209:
The text is somewhat too concise and the meaning is that the fumes of
the Hashish he had eaten (“his mind under the influence of hasheesh,”
says Lane) suggested to him, etc.
Footnote 210:
Arab. “Mamrak” either a simple aperture in ceiling or roof for light
and air or a more complicated affair of lattice-work and plaster; it
is often octagonal and crowned with a little dome. Lane calls it
“Memrak,” after the debased Cairene pronunciation, and shows its base
in his sketch of a Ka’áh (M. E. Introduction).
Footnote 211:
Arab. “Kamar.” This is a practice especially amongst pilgrims. In
Hindostan the girdle, usually a waist-shawl, is called Kammar-band our
old “Cummerbund.” Easterns are too sensible not to protect the pit of
the stomach, that great ganglionic centre, against sun, rain and wind,
and now our soldiers in India wear flannel-belts on the march.
Footnote 212:
Arab. “Fa-immá ’alayhá wa-immá bihá,” _i.e._ whether (luck go) against
it or (luck go) with it.
Footnote 213:
“O vilest of sinners!” alludes to the thief. “A general plunge into
worldly pursuits and pleasures announced the end of the
pilgrimage-ceremonies. All the devotees were now “whitewashed”—the
book of their sins was a _tabula rasa_: too many of them lost no time
in making a new departure down South and in opening a fresh account”
(Pilgrimage iii. 365). I have noticed that my servant at Jeddah would
carry a bottle of Raki, uncovered by a napkin, through the main
streets.
Footnote 214:
The copper cucurbites in which Solomon imprisoned the rebellious
Jinns, often alluded to in The Nights.
Footnote 215: