One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  292 The Bul. and Mac. Edits. give the Princess’s malady, in error, as Dбa al-Sudб’ (megrims), instead of Dбa al-Sar’ (epilepsy) as in the Bresl. Edit. The latter would mean that she is possessed by a demon, again the old Scriptural fancy (see vol. v. 28). The subject is highly fitted for romance but not for a “serious” book which ought to know better.

  293 Arab. “Al-’Бriz”=the demon who possessed her.

  294 i.e. He hath renounced his infamous traffic.

  295 Alluding to the favourite Eastern saying, “The poor man hath no life.”

  296 In this and the following lines some change is necessary for the Bresl. and Mac. texts are very defective. The Arabic word here translated “recess” is “Aywбn,” prop. a hall, an open saloon.

  297 i.e. by selling it for thirty thousand gold pieces, when he might have got a million for it.

  298 The tale is not in the Bresl. Edit.

  299 Al-Khasнb (= the fruitful) was the son of ‘Abd al-Hamнd and intendant of the tribute of Egypt under Harun al-Rashid, but neither Lord nor Sultan. Lane (iii. 669) quotes three couplets in his honour by Abu Nowбs from of “Elmacini (Al-Makнn) Historia Saracenica.”

  If our camel visit not the land of Al-Khasib, what man after Al-Khasib shall they visit? For generosity is not his neighbour; nor hath it sojourned near him; but generosity goeth wherever he goeth: He is a man who purchaseth praise with his wealth, and who knoweth that the periods of Fortune revolve.

  300 The old story “Alа jъdi-k”= upon thy generosity, which means at least ten times the price.

  301i.e. The distance is enormous.

  302 A gazelle; but here the slave-girl’s name.

  303 See vol. ii. 104. Herklots (Pl. vii. fig. 2) illustrates the cloth used in playing the Indian game, Pachнsн. The “board” is rather European than Oriental, but it has of late years spread far and wide, especially the backgammon board.

  304 i.e. “Father of the Lion.”

  305 Or as we should say, “Thy blood will be on thine own head.”

  306 Called after the famous town in Persian Mesopotamia which however is spelt with the lesser aspirate. See . The Geographical works of Sбdik-i-Ispahбni, London; Oriental Transl. Fund, 1882. Hamdan (with the greater aspirate) and Hamdun mean only the member masculine, which may be a delicate piece of chaff for the gallery

  307 Arab. “Hulwбn al-miftбh,” for which see vol. vii. 212. Mr. Payne compares it with the French denier а Dieu, given to the concierge on like occasions.

  308 Arab. ‘Udm, a relish, the Scotch “kitchen,” Lat.

  Opsonium, Ital. Companatico and our “by-meat.” See vol. iv. 128.

  309 Arab. “Kabasa” = he shampoo’d. See vol. ii. {23}.

  310 Arab. “Nukl.” See supra .

  311 Arab. “Jannat al-Khuld” and “Firdaus,” two of the

  Heavens repeatedly noticed.

  312 The naпvetй is purely Horatian, that is South European versus North European.

  313 i.e. “Have some regard for thy life.”

  314 Arab. “Awбk” plur. of Ъkiyyah a word known throughout the Moslem East. As an ounce it weighs differently in every country and in Barbary (Mauritania) which we call Morocco, it is a nominal coin containing twelve Flъs (fulъs) now about = a penny. It is a direct descendant from the “Uk” or “Wuk” (ounce) of the hieroglyphs (See Sharpe’s Egypt or any other Manual) and first appeared in Europe as the Greek {unkнa}.

  315 Arab. “Kбrah” usually a large bag.

  316 Arab. “Lъlъah,” which may mean the Union-pearl; but here used in the sense of “wild cow,” the bubalus antelope, alluding to the farouche nature of Miss Jamilah. We are also told infrа that the park was full of “Wuhъsh” = wild cattle.

  317 Arab. “Sбkiyah,” the venerable old Persian wheel, for whose music see Pilgrimage ii. 198. But “Sakiyah” is also applied, as here, to the water-channel which turns the wheel.

  318 Arab. “Kawбdнs,” plur. of “Kбdъs,” the pots round the rim of the Persian wheel: usually they are of coarse pottery.

  319 In the text “Sбkiyah” a manifest error for “Kubbah.”

  320 Easterns greatly respect a belle fourchette, especially when the eater is a lover.

  321 Arab. “‘Arнshah,” a word of many meanings, tent, nest, vine-trellis, etc.

  322 To spit or blow the nose in good society is “vulgar.” Sneezing (Al-’Atsah) is a complicated affair. For Talmudic traditions of death by sneezing see Lane (M. E. chapt. viii). Amongst Hindus sneezing and yawning are caused by evil spirits whom they drive away by snapping thumb and forefinger as loudly as possible. The pagan Arabs held sneezing a bad omen, which often stopped their journeys. Moslems believe that when Allah placed the Soul (life ?) in Adam, the dry clay became flesh and bone and the First Man, waking to life, sneezed and ejaculated “Alhamdolillah;” whereto Gabriel replied, “Allah have mercy upon thee, O Adam!” Mohammed, who liked sneezing because accompanied by lightness of body and openness of pores, said of it, “If a man sneeze or eructate and say ‘Alhamdolillah’ he averts seventy diseases of which the least is leprosy” (Juzбm); also, “If one of you sneeze, let him exclaim, ‘Alhamdolillah,’ and let those around salute him in return with, ‘Allah have mercy upon thee!’ and lastly let him say, ‘Allah direct you and strengthen your condition.”’ Moderns prefer, “Allah avert what may joy thy foe!” = (our God bless you!) to which the answer is “Alhamdolillah!” Mohammed disliked yawning (Suabб or Thuabб), because not beneficial as a sneeze and said, “If one of you gape and cover not his mouth, a devil leaps into it. “ This is still a popular superstition from Baghdad to Morocco.

  323 A duenna, nursery governess, etc. See vol. i. 231.

  324 For this belief see the tale called “The Night of

  Power,” vol. vi. 180.

  325 The Anglo-lndian “Kincob” (Kimkh’бb); brocade, silk flowered with gold or silver.

  326 Lane finds a needless difficulty in this sentence, which is far-fetched only because Kuus (cups) requires Ruus (head-tops) by way of jingle. It means only “’Twas merry in hall when beards wag all.”

  327 The Mac. Edit. gives two couplets which have already occurred from the Bull Edit i. 540.

  328 The lines are half of four couplets in vol. iv. 192; so

  I quote Lane.

  329.i.e. none hath pleased me. I have quoted the popular saying, “The son of the quarter filleth not the eye.” i.e. women prefer stranger faces.

  330 Here after the favourite Oriental fashion, she tells the truth but so enigmatically that it is more deceptive than an untruth; a good Eastern quibble infinitely more dangerous than an honest downright lie. The consciousness that the falsehood is part fact applies a salve to conscience and supplies a force lacking in the mere fib. When an Egyptian lies to you look straight in his eyes and he will most often betray himself either by boggling or by a look of injured innocence.

  331 Another true lie.

  332 Arab. `’Yastaghнbъnн,” lit. = they deem my absence too long.

  333 An euphemistic form of questioning after absence: “Is all right with thee?”

  334 Arab. “Kallim al-Sultan!” the formula of summoning which has often occurred in The Nights.

  335 Lane translates “Almost died,” Payne “Well-nigh died;” but the text says “died.” I would suggest to translators

  “Be bould, be bould and every where be bould!”

  336 He is the usual poltroon contrasted with the manly and masterful girl, a conjunction of the lioness and the lamb sometimes seen in real life.

  337 That he might see Jamilah as Ibrahim had promised.

  338 A popular saying, i.e., les absents ont toujours tort.

  339 Who had a prior right to marry her, but not against her consent after she was of age.

  340 Arab “Sirwбl.” In Al-Hariri it is a singular form (see No. ii. of the twelve riddles in Ass. xxiv.), but Mohammed said to his followers “Tuakhkhizъ” (adopt ye) “Sarбwнlбt.” The latter is regularly decli
nable but the broken form Sarбwнl is imperfectly declinable on account of its “heaviness,” as are all plurals whose third letter is an Alif followed by i or н in the next syllable.

  341 Arab. “Matarik” from mitrak or mitrakah a small wooden shield coated with hide. This even in the present day is the policeman’s equipment in the outer parts of the East.

  342 Arab. “Sabнyah” for which I prefer Mr. Payne’s “young lady” to Lane’s “damsel”; the latter should be confined to Jбriyah as both bear the double sense of girl and slave (or servant) girl. “Bint” again is daughter, maid or simply girl.

  343 The sense of them is found in vol. ii. 41.

  344 Here the text is defective, but I hardly like to supply the omission. Mr. Payne introduces from below, “for that his charms were wasted and his favour changed by reason of the much terror and affliction he had suffered.” The next lines also are very abrupt and unconnected.

  345 Arab. “Yб Maulбya!” the term is still used throughout Moslem lands; but in Barbary where it is pronounced “Moolбee” Europeans have converted it to “Muley” as if it had some connection with the mule. Even in Robinson Crusoe we find “muly” or “Moly Ismael” (chapt. ii.); and we hear the high-sounding name Maulб-i-Idrнs, the patron saint of the Sunset Land, debased to “Muley Drнs.”

  346 Lane omits this tale because “it is very similar, but inferior in interest, to the Story told by the Sultan’s Steward.” See vol. i. 278.

  347 Sixteenth Abbaside A.H. 279–289 (=A.D. 891–902). “He was comely, intrepid, of grave exterior, majestic in presence, of considerable intellectual power and the fiercest of the Caliphs of the House of Abbas. He once had the courage to attack a lion” (Al-Siyuti). I may add that he was a good soldier and an excellent administrator, who was called Saffбh the Second because he refounded the House of Abbas. He was exceedingly fanatic and died of sensuality, having first kicked his doctor to death, and he spent his last moments in versifying.

  348 Hamdъn bin Ismб’нl, called the Kбtib or Scribe, was the first of his family who followed the profession of a Nadнm or Cup-companion. His son Ahmad (who is in the text) was an oral transmitter of poetry and history. Al-Siyъti () and De Slane I. Khall (ii. 304) notice him.

  349 Probably the Caliph had attendants, but the text afterwards speaks of them as two. Mac. Edit. iv. , line 2; and a few lines below, “the Caliph and the man with him.”

  350 Arab. “Naysбbъr,” the famous town in Khorasan where Omar-i-Khayyбm (whom our people will call Omar Khayyбm) was buried and where his tomb is still a place of pious visitation. A sketch of it has lately appeared in the illustrated papers. For an affecting tale concerning the astronomer-poet’s tomb, borrowed from the Nigбristбn see the Preface by the late Mr. Fitzgerald whose admirable excerpts from the Rubaiyat (101 out of 820 quatrains) have made the poem popular among all the English-speaking races.

  351 Arab. “A-Sharнf anta?” (with the Hamzah-sign of interrogation)=Art thou a Sharнf (or descendant of the Apostle)?

  352 Tenth Abbaside (A.H. 234–247=848–861), grandson of Al-Rashid and born of a slave-concubine. He was famous for his hatred of the Alides (he destroyed the tomb of Al-Husayn) and claimed the pardon of Allah for having revised orthodox traditionary doctrines. He compelled the Christians to wear collars of wood or leather and was assassinated by five Turks.

  353 His father was Al-Mu’tasim bi ‘llah (A.H. 218–227=833–842) the son of Al-Rashid by Mбridah a slave-concubine of foreign origin. He was brave and of high spirit, but destitute of education; and his personal strength was such that he could break a man’s elbow between his fingers. He imitated the apparatus of Persian kings; and he was called the “Octonary” because he was the 8th Abbaside; the 8th in descent from Abbas; the 8th son of Al-Rashid; he began his reign in A.H. 218; lived 48 years; was born under Scorpio (8th Zodiacal sign); was victorious in 8 expeditions; slew 8 important foes and left 8 male and 8 female children. For his introducing Turks see vol. iii, 81.

  354 i.e. as if it were given away in charity.

  355 Arab. “Shukkah,” a word much used in the Zanzibar trade where it means a piece of long-cloth one fathom long. See my “Lake Regions of Central Africa,” vol. i. 147, etc.

  356 He is afterwards called in two places “Khбdim”=eunuch.

  357 A courteous way of saying, “Never mind my name: I wish to keep it hidden.” The formula is still popular.

  358 Arab. “Bakhkharanн” i.e. fumigated me with burning aloes-wood, Calumba or similar material.

  359 In sign of honour. The threshold is important amongst

  Moslems: in one of the Mameluke Soldans’ sepulchres near Cairo I

  found a granite slab bearing the “cartouche” (shield) of Khufu

  (Cheops) with the four hieroglyphs hardly effaced.

  360 i.e. One of the concubines by whose door he had passed.

  361 Epistasis without the prostasis, “An she ordered thee so to do:” the situation justifies the rhetorical figure.

  362 Arab. “Sardбb” see vol. i, 340.

  363 Thirteenth Abbaside A.H. 252–255 (=866–869). His mother was a Greek slave called Kabнhah (Al-Mas’udi and Al-Siyuti); for which “Banjah” is probably a clerical error. He was exceedingly beautiful and was the first to ride out with ornaments of gold. But he was impotent in the hands of the Turks who caused the mob to depose him and kill himВ — his death being related in various ways.

  364 i.e. The reward from Allah for thy good deed.

  365 Arab. “Nusk” abstinence from women, a part of the

  Zahid’s asceticism.

  366 Arab. “Munбzirah” the verbal noun of which, “Munбzarah,” may also mean “dispute.” The student will distinguish between “Munazarah” and Munafarah=a contention for precedence in presence of an umpire.

  367 The Mac. Edit. gives by mistake “Abъ Dбъd”: the Bul. correctly “Abъ Duwбd,” He was Kбzi al-Kuzбt (High Chancellor) under Al-Mu’tasim, Al-Wasik bi’llah (Vathek) and Al-Mutawakkil.

  368 Arab. “Zaffъ”=they led the bride to the bridegroom’s house; but here used in the sense of displaying her as both were in the palace.

  369 i.e. renounce the craft which though not sinful (harбm) is makrъh or religiously unpraiseworthy; Mohammed having objected to music and indeed to the arts in general.

  370 Arab. “Lб tankati’н;” do not be too often absent from us. I have noticed the whimsical resemblance of “Kat’” and our “cut”; and here the metaphorical sense is almost identical.

  371 See Ibn Khallikan ii. 455.

  372 The Turkish body-guard. See vol. iii. 81.

  373 Twelfth Abbaside (A.H. 248-252=862-866) the son of a slave-concubine Mukhбrik. He was virtuous and accomplished, comely, fair-skinned, pock-marked and famed for defective pronunciation; and he first set the fashion of shortening men’s capes and widening the sleeves. After may troubles with the Turks, who were now the Prжtorian guard of Baghdad, he was murdered at the instigation of Al-Mu’ tazz, who succeeded him, by his Chamberlain Sa’id bin Salнh.

  374 Arab. “Usъl,” his forbears, his ancestors.

  375 Lane rejects this tale because it is “extremely objectionable; far more so than the title might lead me to expect.” But he quotes the following marginal note by his Shaykh:— “Many persons (women) reckon marrying a second time amongst the most disgraceful of actions. This opinion is commonest in the country-towns and villages; and my mother’s relations are thus distinguished; so that a woman of them, when her husband dieth or divorceth her while she is young, passeth in widowhood her life, however long it may be, and disdaineth to marry a second time.” I fear that this state of things belongs to the good old days now utterly gone by; and the loose rule of the stranger, especially the English, in Egypt will renew the scenes which characterised Sind when Sir Charles Napier hanged every husband who cut down an adulterous wife. I have elsewhere noticed the ignorant idea that Moslems deny to women souls and seats in Paradise, whilst Mohammed canonised two women in
his own family. The theory arose with the “Fathers” of the Christian Church who simply exaggerated the misogyny of St. Paul. St. Ambrose commenting on Corinthians i. ii., boldly says:— “Feminas ad imaginem Dei factas non esse.” St. Thomas Aquinas and his school adopted the Aristotelian view, “Mulier est erratum naturж, et mas occasionatus, et per accidens generatur; atque ideo est monstrum.” For other instances see Bayle s. v. Gediacus (Revd. Simon of Brandebourg) who in 1695 published a “Defensio Sexus muliebris,” a refutation of an anti-Socinian satire or squib, “Disputatio perjucunda, Mulieres homines non esse,” Parisiis, 1693. But when Islam arose in the seventh century, the Christian learned cleverly affixed the stigma of their own misogyny upon the Moslems ad captandas fњminas and in Southern Europe the calumny still bears fruit. Mohammed (Koran, chapt. xxiv.) commands for the first time, in the sixth year of his mission, the veiling and, by inference, the seclusion of women, which was apparently unknown to the Badawin and, if practised in the cities was probably of the laxest. Nor can one but confess that such modified separation of the sexes, which it would be impossible to introduce into European manners, has great and notable advantages. It promotes the freest intercourse between man and man, and thus civilises what we call the “lower orders”: in no Moslem land, from Morocco to China, do we find the brutals without manners or morals which are bred by European and especially by English civilisation. For the same reason it enables women to enjoy fullest intimacy and friendship with one another, and we know that the best of both sexes are those who prefer the society of their own as opposed to “quite the lady’s man” and “quite the gentleman’s woman.” It also adds an important item to social decorum by abolishing e.g. such indecencies as the “ball-room flirtation” — a word which must be borrowed from us, not translated by foreigners. And especially it gives to religious meetings, a tone which the presence of women modifies and not for the better. Perhaps, the best form is that semi-seclusion of the sex, which prevailed in the heroic ages of Greece, Rome, and India (before the Moslem invasion), and which is perpetuated in Christian Armenia and in modern Hellas. It is a something between the conventual strictness of Al-Islam and the liberty, or rather licence, of the “Anglo-Saxon” and the “Anglo-American.” And when England shall have cast off that peculiar insularity which makes her differ from all civilised peoples, she will probably abolish three gross abuses, time-honoured scandals, which bear very heavily on women and children. The first is the Briton’s right to will property away from his wife and offspring. The second is the action for “breach of promise,” salving the broken heart with pounds, shillings, and pence: it should be treated simply as an exaggerated breach of contract. The third is the procedure popularly called “Crim. Con.,” and this is the most scandalous of all: the offence is against the rights of property, like robbery or burglary, and it ought to be treated criminally with fine, imprisonment and in cases with corporal punishment after the sensible procedure of Moslem law.