One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  555 In text “Abúyah,” a Fellah vulgarism for Abí which latter form occurs a few lines lower down.

  556 In text “Wa-Sawábi ‘hu (Asábi ‘a-hu?) fí hanaki-h:” this is explained in MS. : “Bi-yarza’u fí Asábí hi.” [Dozy, Suppl. i. 815, gives “Sawábi’” 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 “Sábi’” = the pointing one, i.e. index, now commonly called “Sabbábah” the reviler, where the same idea of pointing at with contempt seems to prevail, and “Sháhid” = 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. “Sábi’” is used nowadays in this sense in Egypt along with the other popular form of “Subá’.”{ — ST.}]

  557 I write “Cafilah” and not “Cafila” with the unjustifiable suppression of the final “h” which is always made sensible in the pure pronunciation of the Badawi. The malpractice has found favour chiefly through the advocacy of Dr. Redhouse, an eminent Turkish scholar whose judgments must be received with great caution; and I would quote on this subject the admirable remarks of my late lamented friend Dr. G. P. Badger in “The Academy” of July 2, 1887. “Another noticeable default in the same category is that, like Sale, Mr. Wherry frequently omits the terminal ‘h’ in his transliteration of Arabic. Thus he writes Sura, Amína, Fátima, Madína, Taháma; yet, inconsistently enough, he gives the ‘h’ in Allah, Khadijah, Kaabah, Makkah, and many other words. This point deserves special notice, owing to Dr. Redhouse’s letter, published in ‘The Academy’ of November 22 last, in which he denounces (as ‘a very common European error’) the addition of the ‘h’ or ‘final aspirate,’ in the English transliteration of many Arabic words. Hence, as I read the eminent Orientalist’s criticism, when that aspirate is not sounded in pronunciation he omits it, writing “Fatima,” not Fatimah, lest, as I presume, the unwary reader may aspirate the ‘h.’ But in our Bibles we find such names as Sarah, Hannah, Judah, Beulah, Moriah, Jehovah, in the enunciation of which no one thinks of sounding the last letter as an aspirate. I quite agree with Dr. Redhouse that in the construct case the final h assumes the sound of t, as in Fatimatu bint-Muhammed; yet that does not strike me as a valid reason for eliding the final h, which among other uses, is indicative of the feminine gender, as in Fâtimah, Khadîjah, Amînah, etc.; also of the nomina vicis, of many abstract nouns, nouns of multitude and of quality, as well as of adjectives of intensiveness, all which important indications would be lost by dropping the final h. And further unless the vowel a, left after the elision of that letter, be furnished with some etymological mark of distinction, there would be great risk of its being confounded with the â, formative of the singular of many verbal nouns, such as binâ, safâ, jalâ; with the masculine plurals ending in the same letters, such as hukamâ, ághniyâ, kúfarâ; and with the feminine plurals of many adjectives, such as kúbra, súghra, húsna, etc. Dr. Redhouse says that ‘many eminent Arabists avoid such errors’ — a remark which rather surprises me, since Pocock, Lane and Palmer, and Fresnel and Perron among French Orientalists, as also Burton, all retain the final aspirate h, the latter taking special care to distinguish, by some adequate, diacritical sign, those substantive and adjective forms with which words ending in the final aspirate h might otherwise be confounded.”

  558 In the text, “Wa sába’l-dár wa Zaujatu-hu mutawassíyín bi-há.” [I cannot explain to myself the plural “Mutawassín” unless by supposing that the preceding “Sáb al-Dár” is another blunder of the scribe for “Sáhibu ‘l-Dár” when the meaning would be: “and the master of the house and his wife took charge of her (the nurse) during the days of suckling.” — ST.]

  559 In text “Sárú yaráshú-hu wa yatawassu.”

  560 [In the text “Fikí” the popular form of the present day “Fikíh,” properly “learned in the law” (LL.D. as we would say), but now the usual term for “school-master.” — ST.]

  561 Both of which are practised by Easterns from horseback, the animal going at fullest speed. With the English saddle and its narrow stirrup-irons we can hardly prove ourselves even moderately good shots after Parthian fashion.

  562 In text “Ihtimám wa Ghullah”: I suspect that the former should be written with the major h, meaning fever.

  563 See Suppl. vol. iv. .

  564 i.e. tempt not Providence unless compelled so to do by necessity.

  565 The youth was taking a “Fál” or omen: see vol. v. 136.

  566 In text “Hasal,” for which I would read “Khasal.”

  567 A wiser Sprichwort than those of France and America. It compares advantageously with the second par. of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) by the Representatives of the U.S., which declares, “these truths to be self-evident: — that all men are created equal,” etc. It is regretable that so trenchant a state-paper should begin with so gross and palpable a fallacy. Men are not born equal, nor do they become equal before their death-days even in condition, except by artificial levelling; and in republics and limited monarchies, where all are politically equal, the greatest social inequalities ever prevail. Still falser is the shibboleth-crow of the French cock, “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité,” which has borrowed its plumage from the American Bird o’ Freedom. And Douglas Jerrold neatly expressed the truth when he said,— “We all row in the same boat but not with the same sculls.”

  568 Sayf Kunúzí = a talismanic scymitar: see “Kanz,” ix. 320.

  569 In Arab. “Al-Kutb al-Ghauth” = lit. the pole-star of invocation for help; or simply “Al-Ghauth” is the highest degree of sanctity in the mystic fraternity of Tasawwuf. See v. 384; and Lane (A. N.) i. 232. Students who would understand these titles will consult vol. iii. chapt. 12 of The Dabistán by Shaw and Troyer, Paris and London, 1843. By the learned studies of Dr. Pertsch the authorship of this work of the religious eclecticism of Akbar’s reign, has been taken from the wrongful claimant and definitively assigned to the legitimate owner, Mobed Shah. (See Z. d. M. G. xvi. 224.) It is regretable that the index of the translation is worthless as its contents are valuable.

  570 Arab. “Su’ubán” = cockatrice, etc., vols. i. 172; vii. 322. Ibn Khaldun (vol. iii. 350) tells us that it was the title of a famous and fatal necklace of rubies.

  571 In Ar. “Anakati-h.” [This is a very plausible conjecture of the translator for the word written in the text: “‘Anfakati-h” = the hair between the lower lips and the chin, and then used for the chin itself. — ST.]

  572 In the text “Tisht” (a basin for the ewer), which I have translated tray: these articles are often six feet in diameter.

  573 A neat touch of realism: the youth is worn out by the genial labours of the night which have made the bride only the merrier and the livelier. It is usually the reverse with the first post-nuptial breakfast: the man eats heartily and the woman can hardly touch solid food. Is this not a fact according to your experience, Mesdames?

  574 In text “Tazarghít” a scribal error for “Zaghrítah.” In Mr. Doughty (ii. 621) “Zalághít” for “Zaghárit” and the former is erroneously called a “Syrian word.” The traveller renders it by “Lullul-lullul-lullul-lá.” [Immediately before, however, the correct form “hiya tazaghritu,” she was lulli-looing, had been used. The word occurs in numerous forms, differentiated by the interchange of the dental and palatal “t” and of the liquid letters “r” and “l.” Dozy gives: “Zaghrata,” “Zaghlata” and “Zalghata” for the verb, and “Zaghrítah,” “Zaghrútah” (both with pl. “Zaghárít”), “Zalghútah,” “Zalghatah” (both with pl. “Zalághít”), and even a plural “Zaghálít” for the noun. — ST.]

  575 In these cases usually an exception is made of brigands, assassins and criminals condemned for felony. See Ibn Khaldun, iv. 189.

  576 [In text: “biyarza’ fí Asábí-hi” (see supra ).

  This is, as far as I remember, the only instance where in the MS. the aorist is prece
ded by the preposition “bi,” a construction now so common in the popular dialects. Strange as it may appear at first sight, it has a deep foundation in the grammatical sentiment, if I may say so, of the Arabic language, which always ascribed a more or less nominal character to the aorist. Hence its inflection by Raf’ (u), Nasb (a) and Jazm (absence of final vowel), corresponding to the nominative, accusative and oblique case of the noun. Moreover in the old language itself already another preposition (“li”) was joined to the aorist. The less surprising, therefore, can it be to find that the use of a preposition in connection with it has so largely increased in the modern idiom, where it serves to mark this semi-nominal character of the aorist, which otherwise would be lost in consequence of the loss of the vowel terminations. This interesting subject deserves a fuller development, but I must reserve it for another opportunity — inshá ‘lláh! — ST.]

  577 [Again “yastanit” = he listened attentively; comp. note . — ST.]

  578 In text “Zarb al-Aklám.”

  579 Vol. iii. 247-261. This violation of the Harem is very common in Egypt.

  580 Arab. “Fadáwi,” here again = a blackguard, see Suppl. vol. iv. 281.

  581 The Irishman says, Sleep with both feet in one stocking.

  582 Arab. or rather Egypt. “Bábúj,” from “Bábúg,” from the Pers. “Pay-púsh” = foot-clothing, vulg. “Pápúsh.” To beat with shoe, slipper, or pipe-stick is most insulting; the idea, I believe, being that these articles are not made, like the rod and the whip, for corporal chastisement, and are therefore used by way of slight. We find the phrase “he slippered the merchant” in old diaries, e.g. Sir William Ridges, 1683, Hakluyts, mdccclxxvii.

  583 Arab. “Sarmújah” = sandals, slippers, shoes, esp. those worn by slaves.

  584 Suggesting carnal need.

  585 The young man being grown up did not live in his father’s house.

  586 Arab. “Tartara.” The lexicons give only the sigs. “chattering” and so forth. Prob. it is an emphatic reduplication of “Tarra” = sprouting, pushing forward.

  587 The youth plays upon the bride’s curiosity, a favourite topic in Arab. and all Eastern folk-lore.

  588 There is a confusion in the text easily rectified by the sequel. The facetia suggests the tale of the Schildburgers, who on a fine summer’s day carried the darkness out of the house in their caps and emptied it into the sunshine which they bore to the dark room.

  589 A kindly phrase popularly addressed to the returning traveller whether long absent or not.

  590 In the text “Hamákah.”

  591 Arab. “Adi” which has occurred before.

  592 This “little orgie,” as moderns would call it, strongly suggests the Egyptian origin of the tale.

  593 MS. vol. vi. 262-271. Arab. “ ‘Adím al-Zauk” which the old Latin dictionaries translate “destitutus experientić” and “expers desiderii,” and it is = to our deficient in taste, manners, etc. The term is explained in vol. ix. 266 (Correct my General Index “ix. 206”). Here it evidently denotes what we call “practical joking,” a dangerous form of fun, as much affected by Egyptians as by the Hibernians.

  594 In text “Wakálah” = an inn: vol. i. 266.

  595 “ ‘Ausaj,” for which the dictionaries give only a thorny plant, a bramble.

  596 The grand old Eastern or Desert-gate of Cairo: see vol. vi. 234.

  597 Arab. “Thakálah,” lit. = heaviness, dullness, stupidity.

  598 This is a mere shot: the original has “Baítharán.”

  599 Arab. “Mayzah” = the large hall with a central fountain for ablution attached to every great Mosque.

  600 In the text “Shashmah,” from Pers. “Chashmah” a fountain; applied in Egypt to the small privies with slab and hole; vol. i. 221.

  601 [In Ar. “Unsak,” an expression principally used when drinking to one’s health, in which sense it occurs, for instance, in the Bresl. ed. of The Nights, i. 395, 7.-ST.]

  602 Arab. “Mutáti bi zahri-h”: our ancestors’ expression was not polite, but expressive and picturesque.

  603 The normal pun: “Fátihah,” fem. of “fátih” = an opener, a conqueror, is the first Koranic chapter, for which see iv. 36.

  604 This appears to be a kind of padding introduced to fill up the Night. The loan of an ass is usually granted gratis in Fellah villages and Badawi camps. See Matth. xxi. 2, 3; Mark xi. 2-6, and Luke xix. 30-34.

  605 i.e. O Moslem, opposed to Enemy of Allah = a non-Moslem. In text Yá ‘Ibád, plur. for sing.

  606 Arab. “Kashshara” = grinned a ghastly smile; it also means laughing so as to show the teeth.

  607 This tale follows “The Kazi of Baghdad, his treacherous Brother and his Virtuous Wife,” which is nothing but a replica of “The Jewish Kazi and his Pious Wife” (vol. v. 256). Scott has translated it, after his fashion, in vol. vi. -408, and follows it up with “The sultan’s Story of Himself,” which ends his volume as it shall be the conclusion of mine.

  608 In text, “Wa yaakhazu ‘l thalátha arbá’ min máli-hi wa salbi hálí-hi.”

  609 In text, “La-hu Diráah (for “Diráyah” = prudence) fí tadbírí ‘l-Mulúk.”

  610 In text, “Al-Sirru ‘l-iláhi,” i.e. the soul, which is “divinć particula aurć.”

  611 In text, “Nuwájiru ‘l-wukúfat.” [I read “nuwájiru (for nuájiru”) ‘l-wukúfát,” taking the first word to be a verb corresponding to the preceding, “nabí’u,” and the second a clerical error for “al-Maukúfát.” In this case the meaning would be: “and letting for hire such parts of my property as were inalienable.” — ST.]

  612 Here the text has the normal enallage of persons, the third for the first, “the youth” for “I.” I leave it unaltered by way of specimen.

  613 In text “‘Arús muhallíyah.”

  614 He fainted thinking of the responsibilities of whoso should sit thereupon.

  615 Here is a third enallage, the King returning to the first person, the oratio directa.

  616 i.e. “by Allah;” for “Bi” (the particle proper of swearing) see viii. 310.

  617 Here again is a fourth enallage; the scribe continuing the narrative.

  618 i.e. well fed, sturdy and bonny.

  619 “Sára lá-hu Shanán.” [The work in the text, which is

  exceedingly badly written, looks to me as if it were meant for

  “Thániyan” = and he (the youth) became second to him (the

  Sultan), i.e. his alter ego. — ST.]

  620 In text “Yatama’ash min-hu.” [A denominative of the 5th form from “Ma’ásh,” livelihood. It usually has the meaning of “earning one’s living,” but occurs in Makkari’s Life of Ibn al-Khatíb also in the sense of “feeding or glutting upon,” although applied there not to victuals but to books. — ST.]

  621 In text “Sára yuráshí-h.” [“Yuráshí” and “yuráshú,” which had occurred , are the 6th form of “rashá, yarshú” = he bestowed a gift (principally for the sake of bribery, hence “Rashwah” or “Rishwah” = a bribe), he treated kindly. — ST.]

  622 “Markab Mausúkah,” from {root} “Wask” = conceiving, being pregnant, etc.

  623 “Mutawassi * * * al-Wisáyat al-Támmah.” [“Mutawassi” has been met with before (see ) and “Wisáyah” is the corresponding noun = he charged himself with (took upon himself) her complete charge, i.e. maintenance. — ST.]

  624 [In Ar. “khallí-ná nak’ud,” a thoroughly modern expression. It reads like a passage from Spitta Bey’s Contes Arabes Modernes, where such phrases as: “khallí-ná niktib al-Kitáb,” let us write the marriage contract, “ma-tkhallihsh (for “má takhallí-hu shay”) yishúfak,” let him not see thee, and the like are very frequent. — ST.]

  625 “Fi Kashshi ‘l-Markab;” According to custom in the East all the ship’s crew had run on shore about their own business as soon as she cast anchor. This has happened to me on board an Egyptian man-of-war where, on arriving at Suez, I found myself the sum total of the crew.

 
626 In text, “Jílan ba’da Jíl:” the latter word = revolutions, change of days, tribe, people.

  627 The dénouement is a replica of “The Tale of the King who lost kingdom and wife and wealth and Allah restored them to him” (Suppl. Nights, vol. i. 319). That a Sultan should send his Ministers to keep watch over a ship’s cargo sounds passably ridiculous to a European reader, but a coffee-house audience in the East would find it perfectly natural. Also, that three men, the Sultan and his sons, should live together for years without knowing anything of one another’s lives seems to us an absurdity: in the case of an Oriental such detail would never strike him even as impossible or even improbable.

  628 Between Nights lxviii. and xci. () the Nights are not numbered.

  629 Here the numeration begins again.

  630 In Ouseley he becomes a “King of Greece.”

  631 The Arab. is “Ja’idi”: Scott has “Artizans or Sharpers”: Ouseley, “labourers.”

  632 Ouseley has “Story of the first foolish Man.”

  633 In the Latin Catalogue he is called Agricola, and by

  Scott the Husbandman.

  634 In Ouseley he now becomes a King of Greece.

  635 In Ouseley, “Bint-Ameen.”

  636 In Arab. “Rujub al-Mutarmakh,” in the Lat. list “insipicus.”

  637 In Ouseley “The Tailor, a story told by the Cauzee.”

  638 In Scott “The Deformed Jester,” reading “Al-Ahdab” for

  “Al-Maskharat al-Azib.”

  639 In text “Al-Jalabí,” whence Ouseley and Scott’s

  “Mahummud Julbee.”

  640 Further notes illustrative of this and the succeeding volumes will be found in the Bibliography in Supp. Nights vol vi. I frequently refer to tales by their numbers in the Table (Nights, vol. x., p-530).

  641 Veckenstedt, Mythen, Sagen und Legenden der Zamaiten, ii. p,162.

  642 Compare, too, Mr. Clouston’s “Book of Noodles,” chap. v., “The Silly Son.”

  643 Cf. “An Apology for the Character and Conduct of