CHAPTER I.

COMMENCING WITH THE FIRST NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE THIRD.

THE STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND THE JINNEE.

It has been related to me, O happy King, said Shahrazád, that there was

a certain merchant who had great wealth, and traded extensively with

surrounding countries; and one day he mounted his horse, and journeyed

to a neighbouring country to collect what was due to him, and, the heat

oppressing him, he sat under a tree, in a garden,[I_1] and put his

hand into his saddle-bag,[I_2] and ate a morsel of bread and a date

which were among his provisions. Having eaten the date, he threw aside

the stone,[I_3] and immediately there appeared before him an

'Efreet, of enormous height, who, holding a drawn sword in his hand,

approached him, and said, Rise, that I may kill thee, as thou hast

killed my son. The merchant asked him, How have I killed thy son? He

answered, When thou atest the date, and threwest aside the stone, it

struck my son upon the chest,[I_4] and, as fate had decreed against

him, he instantly died.[I_5]

[Illustration]

The merchant, on hearing these words,[I_6] exclaimed, Verily to God

we belong, and verily to Him we must return! There is no strength nor

power but in God, the High, the Great! If I killed him, I did it not

intentionally, but without knowing it; and I trust in thee that thou

wilt pardon me.--The Jinnee answered, Thy death is indispensable, as

thou hast killed my son:--and so saying, he dragged him, and threw him

on the ground, and raised his arm to strike him with the sword. The

merchant, upon this, wept bitterly, and said to the Jinnee, I commit my

affair unto God, for no one can avoid what He hath decreed:--and he

continued his lamentation, repeating the following verses:--

Time consists of two days; this, bright; and that, gloomy: and life,

of two moieties; this, safe; and that, fearful.

Say to him who hath taunted us on account of misfortunes, Doth fortune

oppose any but the eminent?

Dost thou not observe that corpses float upon the sea, while

the precious pearls remain in its furthest depths?

When the hands of time play with us, misfortune is imparted to us by

its protracted kiss.

In the heaven are stars that cannot be numbered; but none is eclipsed

save the sun and the moon.

How many green and dry trees are on the earth; but none is assailed

with stones save that which beareth fruit!

Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee,

and fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing.

--When he had finished reciting these verses, the Jinnee said to him,

Spare thy words, for thy death is unavoidable.

Then said the merchant, Know, O 'Efreet, that I have debts to pay, and I

have much property, and children, and a wife, and I have pledges also in

my possession: let me, therefore, go back to my house, and give to every

one his due, and then I will return to thee: I bind myself by a vow and

covenant that I will return to thee, and thou shalt do what thou wilt;

and God is witness of what I say.--Upon this, the Jinnee accepted his

covenant, and liberated him; granting him a respite until the expiration

of the year.

The merchant, therefore, returned to his town, accomplished all that was

upon his mind to do, paid every one what he owed him, and informed his

wife and children of the event which had befallen him; upon hearing

which, they and all his family and women wept. He appointed a guardian

over his children, and remained with his family until the end of the

year; when he took his grave-clothes under his arm,[I_7] bade

farewell to his household and neighbours, and all his relations, and

went forth, in spite of himself; his family raising cries of

lamentation, and shrieking.[I_8]

He proceeded until he arrived at the garden before mentioned; and it was

the first day of the new year; and as he sat, weeping for the calamity

which he expected soon to befall him, a sheykh,[I_9] advanced in

years, approached him, leading a gazelle with a chain attached to its

neck. This sheykh saluted the merchant, wishing him a long life, and

said to him, What is the reason of thy sitting alone in this place,

seeing that it is a resort of the Jinn? The merchant therefore informed

him of what had befallen him with the 'Efreet, and of the cause of his

sitting there; at which the sheykh, the owner of the gazelle, was

astonished, and said, By Allah, O my brother, thy faithfulness is great,

and thy story is wonderful! if it were engraved upon the intellect, it

would be a lesson to him who would be admonished!--And he sat down by

his side, and said, By Allah, O my brother, I will not quit this place

until I see what will happen unto thee with this 'Efreet. So he sat

down, and conversed with him. And the merchant became almost senseless;

fear entered him, and terror, and violent grief, and excessive anxiety.

And as the owner of the gazelle sat by his side, lo, a second sheykh

approached them, with two black hounds, and inquired of them, after

saluting them, the reason of their sitting in that place, seeing that it

was a resort of the Jánn:[I_10] and they told him the story from

beginning to end. And he had hardly sat down when there approached them

a third sheykh, with a dapple mule; and he asked them the same question,

which was answered in the same manner.

[Illustration]

Immediately after, the dust was agitated, and became an enormous

revolving pillar, approaching them from the midst of the desert; and

this dust subsided, and behold, the Jinnee, with a drawn sword in his

hand; his eyes casting forth sparks of fire. He came to them, and

dragged from them the merchant, and said to him, Rise, that I may kill

thee, as thou killedst my son, the vital spirit of my heart. And the

merchant wailed and wept; and the three sheykhs also manifested their

sorrow by weeping and crying aloud and wailing: but the first sheykh,

who was the owner of the gazelle, recovering his self-possession, kissed

the hand of the 'Efreet, and said to him, O thou Jinnee, and crown of

the kings of the Jánn, if I relate to thee the story of myself and this

gazelle, and thou find it to be wonderful, and more so than the

adventure of this merchant, wilt thou give up to me a third of thy

claim to his blood? He answered, Yes, O sheykh; if thou relate to me the

story, and I find it to be as thou hast said, I will give up to thee a

third of my claim to his blood.

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF THE FIRST SHEYKH AND THE GAZELLE.

Then said the sheykh, Know, O 'Efreet, that this gazelle is the daughter

of my paternal uncle,[I_11] and she is of my flesh and my blood. I

took her as my wife when she was young,[I_12] and lived with her

about thirty years; but I was not blessed with a child by her; so I took

to me a concubine slave,[I_13] and by her I was blessed with a male

child, like the rising full moon, with beautiful eyes, and

delicately-shaped eyebrows, and perfectly-formed limbs; and he grew up

by little and little until he attained the age of fifteen years. At this

period, I unexpectedly had occasion to journey to a certain city, and

went thither with a great stock of merchandise.

Now my cousin,[I_14] this gazelle, had studied enchantment and

divination from her early years; and during my absence, she transformed

the youth above mentioned into a calf; and his mother, into a

cow;[I_15] and committed them to the care of the herdsman: and when

I returned, after a long time, from my journey, I asked after my son and

his mother, and she said, Thy slave is dead, and thy son hath fled, and

I know not whither he is gone. After hearing this, I remained for the

space of a year with mourning heart and weeping eye, until the Festival

of the Sacrifice;[I_16] when I sent to the herdsman, and ordered

him to choose for me a fat cow; and he brought me one, and it was my

concubine, whom this gazelle had enchanted. I tucked up my skirts and

sleeves, and took the knife[I_17] in my hand, and prepared myself

to slaughter her; upon which she moaned and cried so violently that I

left her, and ordered the herdsman to kill and skin her: and he did so,

but found in her neither fat nor flesh, nor anything but skin and bone;

and I repented of slaughtering her, when repentance was of no avail. I

therefore gave her to the herdsman, and said to him, Bring me a fat

calf: and he brought me my son, who was transformed into a calf. And

when the calf saw me, he broke his rope, and came to me, and fawned upon

me, and wailed and cried, so that I was moved with pity for him; and I

said to the herdsman, Bring me a cow, and let this--

[Illustration]

Here Shahrazád perceived the light of morning, and discontinued the

recitation with which she had been allowed thus far to proceed. Her

sister said to her, How excellent is thy story! and how pretty! and how

pleasant! and how sweet!--but she answered, What is this in comparison

with that which I will relate to thee in the next night, if I live, and

the King spare me! And the King said, By Allah, I will not kill her

until I hear the remainder of her story. Thus they pleasantly passed the

night until the morning, when the King went forth to his hall of

judgment, and the Wezeer went thither with the grave-clothes under his

arm: and the King gave judgment, and invested and displaced, until the

close of the day, without informing the Wezeer of that which had

happened; and the minister was greatly astonished. The court was then

dissolved; and the King returned to the privacy of his palace.

[On the second and each succeeding night, Shahrazád continued so to

interest King Shahriyár by her stories as to induce him to defer putting

her to death, in expectation that her fund of amusing tales would soon

be exhausted; and as this is expressed in the original work in nearly

the same words at the close of every night, such repetitions will in the

present translation be omitted.[I_18]]

When the sheykh, continued Shahrazád, observed the tears of the calf,

his heart sympathized with him, and he said to the herdsman, Let this

calf remain with the cattle.--Meanwhile, the Jinnee wondered at this

strange story; and the owner of the gazelle thus proceeded.

O lord of the kings of the Jánn, while this happened, my cousin, this

gazelle, looked on, and said, Slaughter this calf; for he is fat: but I

could not do it; so I ordered the herdsman to take him back; and he took

him and went away. And as I was sitting, on the following day, he came

to me, and said, O my master, I have to tell thee something that thou

wilt be rejoiced to hear; and a reward is due to me for bringing good

news.[I_19] I answered, Well:--and he said, O merchant, I have a

daughter who learned enchantment in her youth from an old woman in our

family; and yesterday, when thou gavest me the calf, I took him to her,

and she looked at him, and covered her face, and wept, and then laughed,

and said, O my father, hath my condition become so degraded in thy

opinion that thou bringest before me strange men?[I_20]--Where,

said I, are any strange men? and wherefore didst thou weep and laugh?

She answered, This calf that is with thee is the son of our master, the

merchant, and the wife of our master hath enchanted both him and his

mother; and this was the reason of my laughter; but as to the reason of

my weeping, it was on account of his mother, because his father had

slaughtered her.--And I was excessively astonished at this; and scarcely

was I certain that the light of morning had appeared when I hastened to

inform thee.

[Illustration]

When I heard, O Jinnee, the words of the herdsman, I went forth with

him, intoxicated without wine, from the excessive joy and happiness that

I received, and arrived at his house, where his daughter welcomed me,

and kissed my hand; and the calf came to me, and fawned upon me. And I

said to the herdsman's daughter, Is that true which thou hast said

respecting this calf? She answered, Yes, O my master; he is verily thy

son, and the vital spirit of thy heart.--O maiden, said I, if thou wilt

restore him, all the cattle and other property of mine that thy father

hath under his care shall be thine. Upon this, she smiled, and said, O

my master, I have no desire for the property unless on two conditions:

the first is, that thou shalt marry me to him; and the second, that I

shall enchant her who enchanted him, and so restrain her; otherwise, I

shall not be secure from her artifice. On hearing, O Jinnee, these her

words, I said, And thou shalt have all the property that is under the

care of thy father besides; and as to my cousin, even her blood shall be

lawful to thee. So, when she heard this, she took a cup, and filled it

with water, and repeated a spell over it, and sprinkled with it the

calf, saying to him, If God created thee a calf, remain in this form,

and be not changed; but if thou be enchanted, return to thy original

form, by permission of God, whose name be exalted!--upon which he shook,

and became a man; and I threw myself upon him, and said, I conjure thee

by Allah that thou relate to me all that my cousin did to thee and to

thy mother. So he related to me all that had happened to them both; and

I said to him, O my son, God hath given thee one to liberate thee, and

to avenge thee:--and I married to him, O Jinnee, the herdsman's

daughter; after which, she transformed my cousin into this gazelle. And

as I happened to pass this way, I saw this merchant, and asked him what

had happened to him; and when he had informed me, I sat down to see the

result.--This is my story. The Jinnee said, This is a wonderful tale;

and I give up to thee a third of my claim to his blood.

The second sheykh, the owner of the two hounds, then advanced, and said

to the Jinnee, If I relate to thee the story of myself and these hounds,

and thou find it to be in like manner wonderful, wilt thou remit to me,

also, a third of thy claim to the blood of this merchant? The Jinnee

answered, Yes.

THE STORY OF THE SECOND SHEYKH AND THE TWO BLACK HOUNDS.

Then said the sheykh, Know, O lord of the kings of the Jánn, that these

two hounds are my brothers. My father died, and left to us three

thousand pieces of gold;[I_21] and I opened a shop[I_22] to

sell and buy. But one of my brothers made a journey, with a stock of

merchandise, and was absent from us for the space of a year with the

caravans; after which, he returned destitute. I said to him, Did I not

advise thee to abstain from travelling? But he wept, and said, O my

brother, God, to whom be ascribed all might and glory, decreed this

event; and there is no longer any profit in these words: I have nothing

left. So I took him up into the shop, and then went with him to the

bath, and clad him in a costly suit of my own clothing; after which, we

sat down together to eat; and I said to him, O my brother, I will

calculate the gain of my shop during the year, and divide it, exclusive

of the principal, between me and thee. Accordingly, I made the

calculation, and found my gain to amount to two thousand pieces of gold;

and I praised God, to whom be ascribed all might and glory, and rejoiced

exceedingly, and divided the gain in two equal parts between myself and

him.--My other brother then set forth on a journey; and after a year,

returned in the like condition; and I did unto him as I had done to the

former.

After this, when we had lived together for some time, my brothers again

wished to travel, and were desirous that I should accompany them; but I

would not. What, said I, have ye gained in your travels, that I should

expect to gain? They importuned me; but I would not comply with their

request; and we remained selling and buying in our shops a whole year.

Still, however, they persevered in proposing that we should travel, and

I still refused, until after the lapse of six entire years, when at last

I consented, and said to them, O my brothers, let us calculate what

property we possess. We did so, and found it to be six thousand pieces

of gold: and I then said to them, We will bury half of it in the earth,

that it may be of service to us if any misfortune befall us, in which

case each of us shall take a thousand pieces, with which to

traffic.[I_23] Excellent is thy advice, said they. So I took the

money and divided it into two equal portions, and buried three thousand

pieces of gold; and of the other half, I gave to each of them a thousand

pieces. We then prepared merchandise, and hired a ship, and embarked our

goods, and proceeded on our voyage for the space of a whole month, at

the expiration of which we arrived at a city, where we sold our

merchandise; and for every piece of gold we gained ten.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

And when we were about to set sail again, we found, on the shore of the

sea, a maiden clad in tattered garments, who kissed my hand, and said to

me, O my master, art thou possessed of charity and kindness? If so, I

will requite thee for them. I answered, Yes, I have those qualities,

though thou requite me not. Then said she, O my master, accept me as thy

wife, and take me to thy country; for I give myself to thee:[I_24]

act kindly towards me; for I am one who requires to be treated with

kindness and charity, and who will requite thee for so doing; and let

not my present condition at all deceive thee. When I heard these words,

my heart was moved with tenderness towards her, in order to the

accomplishment of a purpose of God, to whom be ascribed all might and

glory; and I took her, and clothed her, and furnished for her a place in

the ship in a handsome manner, and regarded her with kind and respectful

attention.

We then set sail; and I became most cordially attached to my wife, so

that, on her account, I neglected the society of my brothers, who, in

consequence, became jealous of me, and likewise envied me my wealth, and

the abundance of my merchandise; casting the eyes of covetousness upon

the whole of the property. They therefore consulted together to kill me,

and take my wealth; saying, Let us kill our brother, and all the

property shall be ours:--and the devil made these actions to seem fair

in their eyes; so they came to me while I was sleeping by the side of my

wife, and took both of us up, and threw us into the sea. But as soon as

my wife awoke, she shook herself, and became transformed into a

Jinneeyeh.[I_25] She immediately bore me away, and placed me upon

an island, and, for a while, disappeared. In the morning, however, she

returned, and said to me, I am thy wife, who carried thee, and rescued

thee from death, by permission of God, whose name be exalted. Know that

I am a Jinneeyeh: I saw thee, and my heart loved thee for the sake of

God; for I am a believer in God and his Apostle, God bless and save

him![I_26] I came to thee in the condition in which thou sawest me,

and thou didst marry me; and see, I have rescued thee from drowning. But

I am incensed against thy brothers, and I must kill them.--When I heard

her tale, I was astonished, and thanked her for what she had done;--But,

said I, as to the destruction of my brothers, it is not what I desire. I

then related to her all that had happened between myself and them from

first to last; and when she had heard it, she said, I will, this next

night, fly to them, and sink their ship, and destroy them. But I said, I

conjure thee by Allah that thou do it not; for the author of the proverb

saith, O thou benefactor of him who hath done evil, the action that he

hath done is sufficient for him:[I_27]--besides, they are at all

events my brothers. She still, however, said, They must be killed;--and

I continued to propitiate her towards them: and at last she lifted me

up, and soared through the air, and placed me on the roof of my

house.[I_28]

[Illustration]

Having opened the doors, I dug up what I had hidden in the earth; and

after I had saluted my neighbours, and bought merchandise, I opened my

shop. And in the following night, when I entered my house, I found these

two dogs tied up in it; and as soon as they saw me, they came to me, and

wept, and clung to me; but I knew not what had happened until

immediately my wife appeared before me, and said, These are thy

brothers. And who, said I, hath done this unto them? She answered, I

sent to my sister and she did it; and they shall not be restored until

after the lapse of ten years. And I was now on my way to her, that she

might restore them, as they have been in this state ten years, when I

saw this man, and, being informed of what had befallen him, I determined

not to quit the place until I should have seen what would happen between

thee and him.--This is my story.--Verily, said the Jinnee, it is a

wonderful tale; and I give up to thee a third of the claim that I had to

his blood on account of his offence.

Upon this, the third sheykh, the owner of the mule, said to the

Jinnee,[I_29] As to me, break not my heart if I relate to thee

nothing more than this:--

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF THE THIRD SHEYKH AND THE MULE.

The mule that thou seest was my wife: she became enamoured of a black

slave; and when I discovered her with him, she took a mug of water, and,

having uttered a spell over it, sprinkled me, and transformed me into a

dog. In this state, I ran to the shop of a butcher, whose daughter saw

me, and, being skilled in enchantment, restored me to my original form,

and instructed me to enchant my wife in the manner thou beholdest.--And

now I hope that thou wilt remit to me also a third of the merchant's

offence. Divinely was he gifted who said,

Sow good, even on an unworthy soil; for it will not be lost wherever

it is sown.

When the sheykh had thus finished his story, the Jinnee shook with

delight, and remitted the remaining third of his claim to the merchant's

blood. The merchant then approached the sheykhs, and thanked them, and

they congratulated him on his safety; and each went his way.

But this, said Shahrazád, is not more wonderful than the story of the

fisherman. The King asked her, And what is the story of the fisherman?

And she related it as follows:--

[Illustration]

NOTES TO CHAPTER FIRST.

NOTE 1. The words "in a garden" are omitted in my original; but they are

required by the sequel. I may here remark, that, in future, when I find

trifling insertions of this kind to be requisite in my translation, I

shall not deem it necessary to mention them in a note.

NOTE 2. An Eastern traveller often makes a long journey with no other

encumbrance than a well-filled pair of saddle-bags: in one bag he puts

his provisions; and in the other, such articles of clothing as he may

require in addition to those in which he sets out, including a spare

shirt, and perhaps no other clean linen: for he is as indifferent with

regard to this comfort as he is careful respecting his _personal_

cleanliness.

NOTE 3. Perhaps no reader of this work will require to be told that the

date has not a _shell_. I only make this remark on account of an error

in the old translation.--As dates are very nutritious, and are preserved

by being merely dried in the sun, they are an excellent article of

provision for travellers.

NOTE 4. The merchant was culpably careless: before throwing aside the

date-stone with sufficient force to kill a Jinnee who happened to be

near him (though at the time invisible), he should have asked permission

by the exclamation "Destoor!" as explained in a note appended to the

Introduction.

NOTE 5.--_On Fate and Destiny._ The belief in fate and destiny ("el-ḳaḍà

wa-l-ḳadar") exercises a most powerful influence upon the actions and

character of the Muslims; and it is therefore highly important that the

reader of the present work should be acquainted with the notions which

these people entertain respecting such matters of faith. I use two words

(perhaps the best that our language affords) to express corresponding

Arabic terms, which some persons regard as synonymous, but others

distinguish by different shades of meaning. On what I consider the best

authority, the word which I render "fate" respects the decrees of God in

a general sense; while that which I translate "destiny" relates to the

particular applications of those decrees. In such senses these terms are

here to be understood when separately employed.

Many Muslims hold that fate is, in some respects, absolute and

unchangeable; in others, admitting of alteration; and almost all of them

_act_, in many of the affairs of life, as if this were their belief. In

the former case, it is called "el-ḳaḍà el-Moḥkam:" in the latter,

"el-ḳaḍà el-Mubram" (which term, without the explanation here given,

might be regarded as exactly synonymous with the former). Hence, the

Prophet, it is said, prayed to be preserved from the latter, as knowing

that it might be changed; and in allusion to this changeable fate, God,

we are told, says, "God will cancel what He pleaseth, and confirm;"[111]

while, on the contrary, the fate which is termed "Moḥkam" is appointed

"destiny" decreed by God.[112]

Many doctors have argued, that destiny respects only the _final state_

of a certain portion of men (believers and unbelievers); and that, in

general, man is endowed with free will, which he should exercise

according to the laws of God and his own conscience and judgment,

praying to God for a blessing on his endeavours, or imploring the

intercession of the Prophet, or of any of the saints, in his favour, and

propitiating them by offering alms or sacrifices in their names; relying

upon God for the result, which he may then, and then only, attribute to

fate or destiny. They hold, therefore, that it is criminal to attempt

resistance to the will when its dictates are conformable with the laws

of God and our natural consciences and prudence, and so passively to

await the fulfilment of God's decrees.--The doctrine of the Ḳur-án and

the Traditions respecting the decrees of God, or fate and destiny,

appears, however, to be, that they are altogether absolute and

unchangeable,--written, in the beginning of the creation, on the

"Preserved Tablet," in heaven; that God hath predestined every event and

action, evil as well as good; at the same time commanding and approving

good, and forbidding and hating evil; and that the "cancelling"

mentioned in the preceding paragraph relates (as the context seems to

shew) to the abrogation of former scriptures, or revelations; not of

fate. But still it must be held that He hath not predestined the _will_;

though He sometimes inclines it to good, and the Devil sometimes

inclines it to evil. It is asked, then, If we have the power to will,

but not the power to perform otherwise than as God hath predetermined,

how can we be regarded as responsible beings? The answer to this is,

that our actions are judged good or evil according to our intentions, if

we have faith: good actions or intentions, it should be added, only

increase, and do not cause, our happiness, if we are believers; and evil

actions or intentions only increase our misery if we are unbelievers or

irreligious: for the Muslim holds that he is to be admitted into heaven

only by the mercy of God, on account of his faith; and to be rewarded in

proportion to his good works.

The Prophet's assertions on the subject of God's decrees are considered

of the highest importance as explanatory of the Ḳur-án.--"Whatever is in

the universe," said he, "is by the order of God."--"God hath

pre-ordained five things on his servants; the duration of life, their

actions, their dwelling-places, their travels, and their

portions."--"There is not one among you whose sitting-place is not

written by God, whether in the fire or in paradise."[113]--Some of the

Companions of the Prophet, on hearing the last-quoted saying, asked him,

"O Prophet, since God hath appointed our places, may we confide in this,

and abandon our religious and moral duties?" He answered, "No: because

the happy will do good works, and those who are of the miserable will do

bad works."--The following of his sayings further illustrate this

subject.--"When God hath ordered a creature to die in any particular

place, He causeth his wants to direct him to that place."--A Companion

asked, "O Prophet of God, inform me respecting charms, and the medicines

which I swallow, and shields which I make use of for protection, whether

they prevent any of the orders of God." Moḥammad answered, "These also

are by the order of God."[114] "There is a medicine for every pain:

then, when the medicine reaches the pain, it is cured by the order of

God."[115]--When a Muslim, therefore, feels an inclination to make use

of medicine for the cure of a disease, he should do so, in the hope of

its being predestined that he shall be so cured.

On the predestination of diseases, I find the following curious

quotation and remark in a manuscript work, by Es-Suyooṭee, in my

possession.--"El-Ḥaleemee says, 'Communicable or contagious diseases are

six: small-pox, measles, itch or scab, foul breath or putridity,

melancholy, and pestilential maladies; and diseases engendered are also

six: leprosy, hectic, epilepsy, gout, elephantiasis, and phthisis.' But

this does not contradict the saying of the Prophet, 'There is no

transition of diseases by contagion or infection, nor any omen that

brings evil:' for the transition here meant is one occasioned by the

disease itself; whereas the effect is of God, who causes pestilence to

spread when there is intercourse with the diseased."[116]--A Bedawee

asked the Prophet, "What is the condition of camels which stay in the

deserts? verily, you might say, they are deer, in health and in

cleanness of skin; then they mix with mangy camels, and they become

mangy also." Moḥammad said, "What made the first camel mangy?"[117]

Notwithstanding, however, the arguments which have been here adduced,

and many others that might be added, declaring or implying the

unchangeable nature of all God's decrees, I have found it to be the

opinion of my own Muslim friends, that God may be induced, by

supplication, to change certain of his decrees; at least, those

regarding degrees of happiness or misery in this world and the next; and

that such is the general opinion, appears from a form of prayer which is

repeated in the mosques on the eve of the middle (or fifteenth day) of

the month of Shaạbán; when it is believed that such portions of God's

decrees as constitute the destinies of all living creatures for the

ensuing year, are confirmed and fixed. In this prayer it is said, "O

God, if Thou _hast recorded_ me in thine abode, upon 'the Original of

the Book' [the Preserved Tablet], miserable, or unfortunate, or scanted

in my sustenance, _cancel_, O God, of thy goodness, my misery, and

misfortune, and scanty allowance of sustenance, and confirm me, in thine

abode, upon the Original of the Book, as happy, and provided for, and

directed to good," &c.[118]

The Arabs in general constantly have recourse both to charms and

medicines, not only for the cure, but also for the prevention of

diseases. They have, indeed, a strange passion for medicine, which shows

that they do not consider fate as altogether unconditional. Nothing can

exceed the earnestness with which they often press a European traveller

for a dose; and the more violent the remedy, the better are they

pleased. The following case will serve as an example:--Three

donkey-drivers, conveying the luggage of two British travellers from

Booláḳ to Cairo, opened a bottle which they observed in a basket, and

finding it to contain, as they had suspected, brandy, emptied it down

their throats: but he who had the last, on turning up the bottle, got

the tail of a scorpion into his mouth; and, looking through the bottle,

to his great horror, saw that it contained a number of these reptiles,

with tarantulas, vipers, and beetles. Thinking that they had poisoned

themselves, but not liking to rely upon fate, they persuaded a man to

come to me for medicine. He introduced the subject by saying, "O

Efendee, do an act of kindness: there are three men poisoned; in your

mercy give them medicine, and save their lives:" and then he related the

whole affair, without concealing the theft. I replied, that they did not

deserve medicine; but he urged that, by giving it, I should obtain an

immense reward. "Yes," said I; "'he who saveth a soul alive shall be as

if he had saved the lives of all mankind.'"[119] I said this to try the

feeling of the applicant, who, expressing admiration of my knowledge,

urged me to be quick, lest the men should die; thus showing himself to

be no unconditional fatalist. I gave him three strong doses of tartar

emetic; and he soon came back to thank me, saying that the medicine was

most admirable, for the men had hardly swallowed it, when they almost

vomited their hearts and livers, and everything else in their bodies.

From a distrust in faith, some Muslims even shut themselves up during

the prevalence of plague; but this practice is generally condemned. A

Syrian friend of mine, who did so, nearly had his door broken open by

his neighbours. Another of my friends, one of the most distinguished of

the 'Ulamà, confessed to me his conviction of the lawfulness of

quarantine, and argued well in favour of it; but said that he dared not

openly avow such an opinion. "The Apostle of God," said he, "God bless

and save him! hath commanded that we should not enter a city where there

is pestilence, nor go out from it. Why did he say, 'Enter it

not?'--because, by so doing, we should expose ourselves to the disease.

Why did he say, 'Go not out from it?'--because, by so doing, we should

carry the disease to others. The Prophet was tenderly considerate of our

welfare: but the present Muslims in general are like bulls [brute

beasts]; and they hold the meaning of this command to be, Go not into a

city where there is pestilence, because this would be rashness; and go

not out from it, because this would be distrusting God's power to save

you from it."

Many of the vulgar and ignorant among modern Muslims, believe that the

unchangeable destinies of every man are written upon his head, in what

are termed the sutures of the skull.

NOTE 6. The paragraph thus commencing, and the verses comprised in it,

are translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred

nights.

NOTE 7. It is a common custom for a Muslim, on a military expedition, or

during a long journey, especially in the desert, to carry his

grave-linen with him; for he is extremely careful that he may be buried

according to the law.[120] It seems to be implied in our tale, that the

merchant hoped that the Jinnee, or some passing traveller, would wash,

shroud, and bury him.

NOTE 8. It is thus that the Arab women generally do on the occasion of a

funeral.

NOTE 9.--_On the title of_ Sheykh. "Sheykh" is an appellation which

literally signifies "an elder," or "an aged person," and in this sense

it is here used; but it is also commonly employed as synonymous with our

appellation of "Mister;" and particularly applied to a learned man, or a

reputed saint. In every case, it is a title of respect, and never given

to any but a Muslim.

NOTE 10. "Jánn" is here used as synonymous with "Jinn."

NOTE 11. A cousin (the daughter of a paternal uncle) is often chosen as

a wife, on account of the tie of blood, which is likely to attach her

more strongly to her husband; or on account of an affection conceived in

early years. The various customs relating to marriage, I shall describe

on a future occasion.

NOTE 12. A bride is called young, by the Arabs, when she is about twelve

years of age. In the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights,

the wife in this tale is said to have been of this age when she was

first married.

NOTE 13.--_On Slaves._ A slave, among Muslims, is either a person taken

captive in war, or carried off by force, and being at the time of

capture an infidel; or the offspring of a female slave by another slave,

or by any man who is not her owner, or by her owner, if he does not

acknowledge himself to be the father: but the offspring of a male slave

by a free woman is free. A person who embraces the Mohammadan faith

after having been made a slave, does not by this act become free, unless

he flees from a foreign infidel master to a Muslim country, and there

becomes a Mohammadan. A person cannot have as a slave one whom he

acknowledges to be within the prohibited degrees of marriage.[121]--The

slaves of the Arabs are mostly from Abyssinia and the Negro countries: a

few, mostly in the houses of wealthy individuals, are from Georgia and

Circassia.

Slaves have no civil liberty; but are entirely under the authority of

their owners, whatever may be the religion, sex, or age, of the latter;

and can possess no property, unless by the owner's permission. The owner

is entire master, while he pleases, of the person and goods of his

slave; and of the offspring of his female slave, which, if begotten by

him or presumed to be so, he may recognise as his own legitimate child,

or not: the child, if recognised by him, enjoys the same privileges as

the offspring of a free wife; and if not recognised by him, is his

slave. The master may even kill his own slave with impunity for any

offence; and he incurs but a slight punishment (as imprisonment for a

period at the discretion of the judge) if he kills him wantonly. He may

give away or sell his slaves, excepting in some cases which will be

mentioned; and may marry them to whom he will, but not separate them

when married. A slave, however, according to most of the doctors, cannot

have more than two wives at the same time. Unemancipated slaves, at the

death of their master, become the property of his heirs; and when an

emancipated slave dies, leaving no male descendants or collateral

relations, the former master is the heir; or, if he be dead, his heirs

inherit the slave's property. As a slave enjoys less advantages than a

free person, the law, in some cases, ordains that his punishment for an

offence shall be half of that to which the free is liable to the same

offence, or even less than half: if it be a fine, or pecuniary

compensation, it must be paid by the owner, to the amount, if necessary,

of the value of the slave, or the slave must be given in compensation.

The owner, but not the part-owner, may cohabit with any of his female

slaves who is a Mohammadan, a Christian, or a Jewess, if he has not

married her to another man; but not with two or more who are sisters, or

who are related to each other in any of the degrees which would prevent

their both being his wives at the same time if they were free: after

having so lived with one, he must entirely relinquish such intercourse

with her before he can do the same with another who is so related to

her. He cannot have this intercourse with a pagan slave. A Christian or

Jew may have slaves, but not enjoy the privilege above mentioned with

one who is a Mohammadan. The master must wait a certain period

(generally from a month to three months) after the acquisition of a

female slave, before he can have such intercourse with her. If he find

any fault in her within three days, he is usually allowed to return her.

When a man, from being the husband, becomes the master, of a slave, the

marriage is dissolved, and he cannot continue to live with her but as

her master, enjoying, however, all a master's privileges; unless he

emancipates her; in which case he may again take her as his wife with

her consent. In like manner, when a woman, from being the wife, becomes

the possessor, of a slave, the marriage is dissolved, and cannot be

renewed unless she emancipates him, and he consents to the re-union.

Complete and immediate emancipation is sometimes granted to a slave

gratuitously, or for a future pecuniary compensation. It is conferred by

means of a written document, or by a verbal declaration (expressed in

the words, "Thou art free," or some similar phrase) in the presence of

two witnesses, or by returning the certificate of sale obtained from the

former owner. Future emancipation is sometimes covenanted to be granted

on the fulfilment of certain conditions; and more frequently, to be

conferred on the occasion of the owner's death. In the latter case, the

owner cannot sell the slave to whom he has made this promise: and, as he

cannot alienate by will more than one-third of the whole property that

he leaves, the law ordains that, if the value of the said slave exceeds

that portion, the slave must obtain and pay the additional sum. When a

female slave has borne a child to her master, and he acknowledges the

child to be his own, he cannot sell this slave, and she becomes free on

his death.

Abyssinian and white female slaves are kept by many men of the middle

and higher classes, and often instead of wives, as requiring less

expense, and being more subservient; but they are generally indulged

with the same luxuries as free ladies; their vanity is gratified by

costly dresses and ornaments, and they rank high above free servants; as

do also the male slaves. Those called Abyssinians appear to be a mixed

race between negroes and whites; and are from the territories of the

Gallas. They are mostly kidnapped and sold by their own countrymen. The

negro female slaves, as few of them have considerable personal

attractions (which is not the case with the Abyssinians, many of whom

are very beautiful), are usually employed only in cooking, and other

menial offices. The female slaves of the higher classes are often

instructed in plain needlework and embroidery, and sometimes in music

and dancing. Formerly, many of them possessed sufficient literary

accomplishments to quote largely from esteemed poems, or even to compose

extemporary verses, which they would often accompany with the lute. The

condition of many concubine slaves is happy; and that of many, quite the

contrary. These, and all other slaves of either sex, are generally

treated with kindness; but at first they are usually importuned, and not

unfrequently used with much harshness, to induce them to embrace the

Mohammadan faith; which almost all of them do. Their services are

commonly light: the usual office of the male white slave, who is called

"memlook," is that of a page, or a military guard. Eunuchs are employed

as guardians of the women; but only in the houses of men of high rank,

or of great wealth: on account of the important and confidential office

which they fill, they are generally treated in public with especial

consideration. I used to remark, in Cairo, that few persons saluted me

with a more dignified and consequential air than these pitiable but

self-conceited beings. Most of them are Abyssinians or Negroes. Indeed,

the slaves in general take too much advantage of the countenance of

their masters, especially when they belong to men in power. The master

is bound to afford his slaves proper food and clothing, or to let them

work for their own support, or to sell, give away, or liberate them. It

is, however, considered disgraceful for him to sell a slave who has been

long in his possession; and it seldom happens that a master emancipates

a female slave, without marrying her to some man able to support her, or

otherwise providing for her.

The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kindness to slaves. "Feed your

memlooks," said he, "with food of that which ye eat, and clothe them

with such clothing as ye wear; and command them not to do that which

they are unable."[122]--These precepts are generally attended to, either

entirely or in a great degree. Some other sayings of the Prophet on this

subject well deserve to be mentioned; as the following:--"He who beats

his slave without fault, or slaps him on the face, his atonement for

this is freeing him."--"A man who behaves ill to his slave will not

enter into paradise."--"Whoever is the cause of separation between

mother and child, by selling or giving, God will separate him from his

friends on the day of resurrection."--"When a slave wishes well to his

master, and worships God well, for him are double rewards."[123]--It is

related of 'Othmán, "that he twisted the ear of a memlook belonging to

him, on account of disobedience, and afterwards, repenting of it,

ordered him to twist _his_ ear in like manner: but he would not. 'Othmán

urged him, and the memlook advanced, and began to wring it by little and

little. He said to him, 'Wring it hard; for I cannot endure the

punishment of the day of judgment [on account of this act].' The memlook

answered, 'O my master, the day that thou fearest, I also fear.'"--"It

is related also of Zeyn-el-'Ábideen, that he had a memlook who seized a

sheep, and broke its leg; and he said to him, 'Why didst thou this?' He

answered, 'To provoke thee to anger.' 'And I,' said he, 'will provoke to

anger him who taught thee; and he is Iblees: go, and be free, for the

sake of God.'"[124]--Many similar anecdotes might be added; but the

general assertions of travellers in the East are more satisfactory

evidence in favour of the humane conduct of most Muslims to their

slaves.

It sometimes happens, though rarely, that free girls are sold as

slaves.[125] A remarkable instance is related in the "Mir-át

ez-Zemán."[126]--Fáṭimeh, surnamed Ghareeb, a slave of the Khaleefeh

El-Moạtaṣim, the son of Hároon, was a poetess, accomplished in singing

and calligraphy, and extremely beautiful. Her mother was an orphan; and

Jaạfar, the famous Wezeer of Hároon Er-Rasheed, took her as his wife;

but his father, Yaḥyà, reproached him for marrying a woman whose father

and mother were unknown, and he therefore removed her from his own

residence to a neighbouring house, where he frequently visited her; and

she bore him a daughter, the above-mentioned Ghareeb, and died. Jaạfar

committed her infant to the care of a Christian woman, to nurse; and, on

the overthrow of his family, this woman sold her young charge as a

slave. El-Emeen, the successor of Er-Rasheed, bought her of a man named

Sumbul, but never paid her price; and when he was killed, she returned

to her former master; but on the arrival of El-Ma-moon at Baghdád, she

was described to him, and he compelled Sumbul to sell her to him. This

Sumbul loved her so passionately, that he died of grief at her loss. On

the death of El-Ma-moon, his successor, El-Moạtaṣim, bought her for a

hundred thousand dirhems, and emancipated her. The historian adds, that

she composed several well-known airs and verses.

NOTE 14. An Arab who is married to his cousin generally calls her by

this appellation rather than that of wife, as the tie of blood is, to

him, in every respect, stronger than that of matrimony.

NOTE 15.--_On Magic._ The Arabs and other Mohammadans enjoy a remarkable

advantage over _us_ in the composition of works of fiction: in the

invention of incidents which _we_ should regard as absurd in the

extreme, _they_ cannot be accused by their countrymen of exceeding the

bounds of probability. A case similar to that here described was related

to me as a fact, in Cairo. A person in that city, I was told, was

suddenly surprised by the disappearance of his brother, and by finding,

in his place, an ass: but this animal increased his astonishment, and

that of every person who beheld him, by manifesting a sagacity

singularly opposed to the proverbial dulness of the generality of his

species. Yet, strange as it may seem, it was not imagined that this

brute was the lost man in a transformed state, till, one day, an old

woman, seeing him, quickly covered her face, and declared the fact. She

discovered this by her knowledge of magic; and, by her skill in this

art, she agreed to restore the enchanted person to his proper shape.

Having collected a number of herbs, she boiled them in a large vessel;

and when the decoction had cooled, she took the vessel, and, muttering a

certain spell, threw its contents over the animal, endeavouring to do so

in such a manner that every part of it should be wetted. Every part of

it _was_ wetted, excepting one hind-foot; and, accordingly, it was

restored to the original human form, with the exception of one foot,

which remained like that of an ass.

An implicit belief in magic is entertained by almost all Muslims; and

he, among them, who denies its truth, they regard as a freethinker, or

an infidel. Some are of opinion that it ceased on the mission of

Moḥammad; but these are comparatively few. Many of the most learned

Muslims, to the present age, have deeply studied it; and a much greater

number of persons of inferior education (particularly school-masters)

have, more or less, devoted their time and talents to the pursuit of

this knowledge. Recourse is had to it for the discovery of hidden

treasures, for alchymical purposes, for the acquisition of the knowledge

of futurity, to procure offspring, to obtain the affection of a beloved

object, to effect cures, to guard against the influence of the evil eye,

to afflict or kill an enemy or a rival, and to attain various other

objects of desire.

There are two descriptions of magic; one is spiritual, and regarded by

all but freethinkers as true; the other, natural, and denounced by the

more religious and enlightened as deceptive.

I. Spiritual magic, which is termed "er-Rooḥánee" (vulgo "Rowḥánee"),

chiefly depends upon the virtues of certain names of God, and passages

from the Ḳur-án, and the agency of Angels and Jinn, or Genii. It is of

two kinds: High and Low ("'Ilwee" and "Suflee"), or Divine and Satanic

("Raḥmánee," _i. e._ relating to "the Compassionate" [who is God], and

"Sheyṭánee").

1. Divine magic is regarded as a sublime science, and is studied only by

good men, and practised only for good purposes. Perfection in this

branch of magic consists in the knowledge of "the most great name" of

God ("el-Ism el Aạẓam"); but this knowledge is imparted to none but the

peculiar favourites of Heaven. By virtue of this name, which was

engraved on his seal-ring, Suleymán (or Solomon) subjected to his

dominion the Jinn and the birds and the winds, as mentioned in a former

note. By pronouncing it, his minister Áṣaf, also, transported, in an

instant, to the presence of his sovereign, in Jerusalem, the throne of

the Queen of Sheba.[127] But this was a small miracle to effect by such

means; for, by uttering this name, a man may even raise the dead. Other

names of the Deity, commonly known, are believed to have particular

efficacies when uttered or written; as also are the names of the

Prophet; and Angels and good Jinn are said to be rendered subservient to

the purposes of divine magic by means of certain invocations. Of such

names and invocations, together with words unintelligible to the

uninitiated in this science, passages from the Ḳur-án, mysterious

combinations of numbers, and peculiar diagrams and figures, are chiefly

composed written charms employed for good purposes. Enchantment, when

used for benevolent purposes, is regarded by the vulgar as a branch of

lawful or divine magic; but not so by the learned; and the same remark

applies to the science of divination.

2. Satanic magic, as its name implies, is a science depending on the

agency of the Devil and the inferior evil Jinn, whose services are

obtained by means similar to those which propitiate, or render

subservient, the good Jinn. It is condemned by the Prophet and all good

Muslims, and only practised for bad purposes.--Enchantment, which is

termed "es-Seḥr," is almost universally acknowledged to be a branch of

satanic magic; but some few persons assert (agreeably with several tales

in this work), that it _may_ be, and by some _has_ been, studied with

good intentions, and practised by the aid of good Jinn; consequently,

that there is such a science as _good_ enchantment, which is to be

regarded as a branch of _divine_ or _lawful_ magic. The metamorphoses

are said to be generally effected by means of spells, or invocations to

Jinn, accompanied by the sprinkling of water or dust, &c., on the object

to be transformed. Persons are said to be enchanted in various ways:

some, paralyzed, or even deprived of life; others, affected with

irresistible passion for certain objects; others, again, rendered

demoniacs; and some, transformed into brutes, birds, &c. The evil eye is

believed to enchant in a very powerful and distressing manner. This was

acknowledged even by the Prophet.[128] Diseases and death are often

attributed to its influence. Amulets, which are mostly written charms,

of the kind above described, are worn by many Muslims with the view of

counteracting, or preserving from, enchantment; and for the same

purpose, many ridiculous ceremonies are practised.--Divination, which is

termed "el-Kiháneh," is pronounced, on the highest authority, to be a

branch of satanic magic; though not believed to be so by all Muslims.

According to an assertion of the Prophet, what a fortune-teller says may

sometimes be true; because one of the Jinn steals away the truth, and

carries it to the magician's ear: for the Angels come down to the region

next the earth (the lowest heaven), and mention the works that have been

pre-ordained in heaven; and the Devils (or evil Jinn) listen to what the

Angels say, and hear the orders predestined in heaven, and carry them to

the fortune-tellers. It is on such occasions that shooting-stars are

hurled at the Devils.[129] It is said that "the diviner obtains the

services of the Sheyṭán by magic arts, and by names [invoked], and by

the burning of perfumes, and he informs him of secret things: for the

Devils, before the mission of the Apostle of God," it is added, "used to

ascend to heaven, and hear words by stealth."[130] That the evil Jinn

are believed still to ascend sufficiently near to the lowest heaven to

hear the conversation of the Angels, and so to assist magicians, appears

from the former quotation, and is asserted by all Muslims. The discovery

of hidden treasures, before alluded to, is one of the objects for which

divination is most studied.--The mode of divination called "Ḍarb

el-Mendel" is by some supposed to be effected by the aid of evil Jinn;

but the more enlightened of the Muslims regard it as a branch of natural

magic. Some curious performances of this kind, by means of a fluid

mirror of ink, have been described in my "Account of the Manners and

Customs of the Modern Egyptians," and in No. 117 of the "Quarterly

Review."[131]

There are certain modes of divination which cannot properly be classed

under the head of spiritual magic, but require a place between the

account of this science and that of natural magic.--The most important

of these branches of Kiháneh is Astrology, which is called "'Ilm

en-Nujoom." This is studied by many Muslims in the present day; and its

professors are often employed by the Arabs to determine a fortunate

period for laying the foundation of a building, commencing a journey,

&c.; but more frequently by the Persians and Turks. The Prophet

pronounced astrology to be a branch of magic.[132]--Another branch of

Kiháneh is Geomancy, called "Ḍarb er-Raml;" a mode of divination from

certain marks made on sand (whence its appellation), or on paper; and

said to be chiefly founded on astrology.--The science called "ez-Zijr,"

or "el-'Eyáfeh," is a third branch of Kiháneh; being divination or

auguration chiefly from the motions and positions, or postures, of

birds, or of gazelles and other beasts of the chase. Thus, what was

termed a "Sáneḥ," that is, such an animal standing or passing with its

right side towards the spectator, was esteemed among the Arabs as of

good omen; and a "Báreḥ," or an animal of this kind with its left side

towards the spectator, was held as inauspicious.[133]--"El-Ḳiyáfeh,"

under which term are included Chiromancy and its kindred sciences, is a

fourth branch of Kiháneh.--"Et-Tefá-ul," or the taking an omen,

particularly a good one, from a name or words accidentally heard or

seen, or chosen from a book, belongs to the same science. The taking a

"fál," or omen, from the Ḳur-án is generally held to be lawful.--Various

trifling events are considered as ominous. For instance, a Sulṭán

quitting his palace with his troops, a standard happened to strike a

"thureiyà" (a cluster of lamps, so called from resembling the Pleiades),

and broke them: he drew from this an evil omen, and would have

relinquished the expedition; but one of his chief officers said

to him, "O our lord, thy standards have reached the Pleiades;"--and,

being relieved by this remark, he proceeded, and returned

victorious.[134]--The interpretation of dreams, "Taạbeer el-Menámát,"

must also be classed among the branches of this science. According to

the Prophet, it is the only branch of divination worthy of dependance.

"Good dreams," said he, "are one of the parts of prophecy," and "nothing

else of prophecy remains." "Good dreams are from God; and false dreams,

from the Devil." "When any one of you has a bad dream, spit three times

over your left shoulder, and seek protection with God from the Devil

thrice; and turn from the side on which the dream was, to the

other."[135] This rule is observed by many Muslims. Dreams are generally

so fully relied upon by them as to be sometimes the means of deciding

contested points in history and science. The sight, in a dream, of

anything green or white, or of water, is considered auspicious; anything

black or red, or fire, inauspicious.--The distinction of fortunate and

unfortunate days should also here be mentioned. Thursday and Friday,

especially the latter, are considered fortunate; Monday and Wednesday,

doubtful; Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday, especially the last,

unfortunate. It is said that there are seven evil days in every [lunar]

month; namely, the third, on which Ḳábeel (or Cain) killed Hábeel

(Abel); the fifth, on which God cast down Adam from paradise, and

afflicted the people of Yoonus (Jonas), and on which Yoosuf (or Joseph)

was cast into the well; the thirteenth, on which God took away the

wealth of Eiyoob (or Job), and afflicted him, and took away the kingdom

from Suleymán (or Solomon), and on which the Jews killed the prophets;

the sixteenth, on which God exterminated and buried the people of Looṭ

(or Lot), and transformed three hundred Christians into swine, and Jews

into apes, and on which the Jews sawed asunder Zekereeyà (or Zachariah);

the twenty-first, on which Pharaoh was born, and on which he was

drowned, and on which his nation was afflicted with the plagues; the

twenty-fourth, on which Numrood[136] (or Nimrod) killed seventy women,

and cast El-Khaleel (or Abraham) into the fire, and on which was

slaughtered the camel of Ṣáleḥ; and the twenty-fifth, on which the

suffocating wind was sent upon the people of Hood.[137]

II. Natural magic, which is called "es-Seemiyà," is regarded by most

persons of the more enlightened classes of Muslims as altogether a

deceptive art, no more worthy of respect than legerdemain; but it seems

to be nearly allied to enchantment; for it is said to effect, in

appearance, the most wonderful transformations, and to cause the most

extraordinary visions; affecting the senses and imagination in a manner

similar to opium. This and other drugs are supposed, by some persons, to

be the chief means by which such illusions are caused; and perfumes,

which are generally burnt in these performances, may operate in a

similar manner. As such things are employed in performances of the kind

called "Ḍarb el-Mendel," before mentioned, these feats are regarded by

many as effected by natural magic, notwithstanding what has been said

above respecting the services of evil Jinn being procured by means of

perfumes.--Alchymy ("el-Keemiyà") is a branch of natural magic. It is

studied by many Muslims of the present day, and by some of considerable

talents and attainments.

The most celebrated of the magicians who have gained notoriety in Egypt

during the course of the last hundred years, was the sheykh Aḥmad

Ṣádoomeh, who flourished somewhat more than sixty years ago--I write in

1837. Several persons of Cairo, men of intelligence and of good

education, have related to me various most marvellous stories of his

performances, on the authority of eye-witnesses whom they considered

veracious; but a more credible account of this magician I have found in

the work of an excellent historian of Modern Egypt. This author mentions

the sheykh Ṣádoomeh as an aged man, of venerable appearance, who derived

his origin from the town of Semennood, in the Delta, and who acquired a

very great and extensive celebrity for his attainments in spiritual and

natural magic, and for holding converse, face to face, with Jinn, and

causing them to appear to other persons, even to the blind, as men

acquainted with him informed the historian. His contemporaries, says

this writer, entertained various opinions respecting him; but, among

them, a famous grammarian and general scholar, the sheykh Ḥasan

El-Kafráwee, regarded him as a first-rate saint, who performed evident

miracles; this learned man pronouncing as such the effects of "his

legerdemain and natural magic." His fame he describes as having

increased until he was induced to try an unlucky experiment. A Memlook

chief, Yoosuf Bey, saw some magic characters written on the body of one

of his female slaves, and, exasperated by jealousy, commanded her, with

a threat of instant death, to tell him who had done this. She confessed

that a woman had taken her to the sheykh Ṣádoomeh, and that he had

written this charm to attract to her the Bey's love. Upon hearing this,

he instantly sent some attendants to seize the magician, and to put him

to death, and throw him into the Nile; which was done.[138] But the

manner in which the seizure was made, as related to me by one of my

friends, deserves to be mentioned. Several persons, one after another,

endeavoured to lay hold upon him; but every arm that was stretched forth

for this purpose was instantly paralyzed, through a spell muttered by

the magician; until a man behind him thrust a gag into his mouth, and so

stopped his enchantments.

Of the stories related to me of Ṣádoomeh's miracles, the following will

serve as a specimen:--In order to give one of his friends a treat, he

took him to the distance of about half an hour's walk into the desert on

the north of Cairo; here they both sat down, upon the pebbly and sandy

plain, and, the magician having uttered a spell, they suddenly found

themselves in the midst of a garden, like one of the gardens of

paradise, abounding with flowers and fruit-trees of every kind,

springing up from a soil clothed with verdure brilliant as the emerald,

and irrigated by numerous streamlets of the clearest water. A repast of

the most delicious viands and fruits and wines was spread before them by

invisible hands; and they both ate to satiety, taking copious draughts

of the various wines. At length, the magician's guest sank into a deep

sleep; and when he awoke, he found himself again in the pebbly and sandy

plain, with Ṣádoomeh still by his side.--The reader will probably

attribute this vision to a dose of opium or some similar drug; and such

I suppose to have been the means employed; for I cannot doubt the

integrity of the narrator, though he would not admit such an

explanation; regarding the whole as an affair of magic, effected by the

operation of Jinn, like similar relations in the present work.

It may be remarked that most of the enchantments described in this work

are said to be performed by _women_; and reputed _witches_ appear to

have been much more numerous in all countries than _wizards_. This fact

the Muslims readily explain by a saying of their Prophet:--That women

are deficient in sense and religion:--whence they argue that they are

more inclined than men to practise what is unlawful.

NOTE 16.--_On the Two Grand Festivals._ The Muslims observe two grand

'Eeds, or Festivals, in every year. The first of these immediately

follows Ramaḍán, the month of abstinence, and lasts three days: it is

called the Minor Festival. The other, which is called the Great

Festival, commences on the tenth of Zu-l-Ḥejjeh, the day when the

pilgrims, halting on their return from Mount 'Arafát to Mekkeh, in the

Valley of Minè (vulgarly called Munà), perform their sacrifice: the

observance of this festival also continues three days, or four.

Early in the first morning, on each of these festivals, the Muslim is

required to perform a lustration of his whole person, as on the mornings

of Friday; and on the first morning of the Minor Festival, he should

break his fast with a few dates or some other light food; but on the

Great Festival, he abstains from food until he has acquitted himself of

the religious duties now to be mentioned. Soon after sunrise, on the

first day of each festival, the men, dressed in new or in their best

clothes, repair to the mosque, or to a particular place appointed for

the performance of the prayers of the 'Eed. On going thither, they

should repeat, frequently, "God is most great!"--this, on the Minor

Festival, they should do inaudibly: on the other, aloud. The

congregation, having assembled, repeat the prayers of two rek'ahs; after

which, the Khaṭeeb recites a khuṭbeh; _i. e._ an exhortation and a

prayer. On each of these festivals, in the mosque, or place of prayer,

and in the street, and at each other's houses, friends congratulate and

embrace one another; generally paying visits for this purpose; and the

great receive visits from their dependants. The young, on these

occasions, kiss the right hand of the aged; and servants or dependants

do the same to their masters or superiors, unless the latter be of high

rank, in which case they kiss the end of the hanging sleeve, or the

skirt of the outer garment. Most of the shops are closed, excepting

those at which eatables and sweet drinks are sold; but the streets are

filled with people in their holiday clothes.

On the Minor Festival, which, as it terminates an arduous fast, is

celebrated with more rejoicing than the other,[139] servants and other

dependants receive presents of new articles of clothing from their

masters or patrons; and the servant receives presents of small sums of

money from his master's friends, whom, if they do not visit his master,

he goes to congratulate; as well as from any former master, to whom he

often takes a plateful of kaḥks. These are sweet cakes, or biscuits, of

an annular form, composed of flour and butter, with a little 'ajameeyeh

(which is a thick paste consisting of butter, honey, a little flour, and

some spices) inside. They are also often sent as presents on this

occasion by other people. Another custom required of the faithful on

this festival is the giving of alms.

On the Great Festival, after the prayers of the congregation, every one

who can afford it performs, with his own hand, or by that of a deputy, a

sacrifice of a ram, he-goat, cow or buffalo, or she-camel; part of the

meat of which he eats, and part he gives to the poor, or to his friends

or dependants. The ram or goat should be at least one year old; the cow

or buffalo, two years; and the camel, five years; and the victim should

not have any considerable mutilation or infirmity. A cow or buffalo, or

a camel, is a sufficient sacrifice for seven persons. The clothes which

were put on new at the former festival are generally worn on this

occasion; and the presents which are given to servants and others are

usually somewhat less.

On each of the two festivals it is also customary, especially with the

women, to visit the tombs of relations. The party generally take with

them a palm-branch, and place it, broken in several pieces, or merely

its leaves, upon the tomb or monument; or some, instead of this, place

sweet basil or other flowers. They also usually provide themselves with

sweet cakes, bread, dates, or some other kind of food, to distribute to

the poor. But their first duty, on arriving at the tomb, is to recite

the Fáteḥah (the opening Chapter of the Ḳur-án), or to employ a person

to recite previously a longer chapter; generally the thirty-sixth (or

Soorat Yá-Seen); or even the whole of the book: or sometimes the

visiters recite the Fáteḥah, and, after having hired a person to perform

a longer recitation, go away before he commences. The women often stay

all the days of the festival in the cemeteries, either in tents, or in

houses of their own, erected there for their reception on these and

other occasions. The tent of each party surrounds the tomb which is the

object of their visit. In the outskirts of the cemeteries, swings and

whirligigs are erected; and story-tellers, dancers, and jugglers, amuse

the populace.

NOTE 17.--_On the Mode of Slaughtering of Animals for Food._ In the old

translation, the sheykh is described as preparing to slaughter the cow

with a _mallet_. This is a mistake of a serious nature; as the flesh of

the victim, if so killed, would be legally unclean. The Muslims are

required to slaughter animals for food in a particular manner. Sheep,

goats, cows or bulls, and buffaloes, must be killed by cutting the

throat, at the part next the head, or any other part; dividing the

windpipe, gullet, and carotid arteries. The camel is to be slaughtered

by _stabbing_ the throat at the part next the breast. Poultry, also,

must be killed by cutting the throat; and so must every tame animal of

which the flesh is lawful food. The slaughterer, in every case, must be

a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew; of either sex. On commencing the

operation, he must say, "In the name of God! God is most great!"--or at

least, "In the name of God!"--but not add, "the Compassionate, the

Merciful"--for an obvious reason. Birds or beasts of the chase may be

killed by an arrow, a dog, a hawk, &c.; but the name of God must be

uttered at the time of discharging the arrow, or slipping the dog, &c.

When the beast or bird is not killed at once by the arrow, &c., it must

be slaughtered as soon as possible, in the same manner as sheep and

poultry: the law, as well as humanity, requires this.

NOTE 18.--_On the Influence of Eloquence and Tales upon the Arabs._ The

main incident upon which this work is founded, the triumph of the

fascination of the tongue over a cruel and unjust determination which

nothing else could annul, might be regarded, by persons unacquainted

with the character and literature of the Arabs, as a contrivance too

improbable in its nature; but such is not the case. Perhaps there are no

other people in the world who are such enthusiastic admirers of

literature, and so excited by romantic tales, as those above named.

Eloquence, with them, is lawful magic: it exercises over their minds an

irresistible influence. "I swear by God," said their Prophet, "verily

abuse of infidels in verse is worse to them than arrows."[140] This, of

course, alludes to _Arab_ unbelievers.

In the purest, or Heroic Age of Arabic literature, which was anterior to

the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, the conquest which the love of

eloquence could achieve over the sanguinary and vindictive feelings of

the Arabs was most remarkably exemplified in the annual twenty days'

fair of 'Okáẓ, or 'Okáḍh. Respecting this fair, I shall here insert a

few particulars borrowed from an author who is at present devoting

talents of the very highest order to the study and illustration of the

history and literature of the early Arabs, and to whose conversation and

writings I must acknowledge myself indebted for most valuable

information, which will often be of great utility to me in this

undertaking, as well as in every branch of my Arabic studies.

The fair of 'Okáẓ "was not only a great mart opened annually to all the

tribes of Arabia; but it was also a literary congress, or rather a

general concourse of virtues, of glory and of poetry, whither the

hero-poets resorted to celebrate their exploits in rhyming verse, and

peacefully to contend for every kind of honour. This fair was held in

the district of Mekkeh, between Eṭ-Ṭáïf and Nakhleh, and was opened at

the new moon of Zu-l-Ḳaạdeh; that is to say, at the commencement of a

period of three sacred months, during which all war was suspended, and

homicide interdicted.... How is it possible to conceive that men whose

wounds were always bleeding, who had always acts of vengeance to

execute, vengeances to dread, could at a certain epoch impose silence

upon their animosities, so as tranquilly to sit by a mortal enemy? How

could the brave who required the blood of a father, a brother, or a son,

according to the phraseology of the desert and of the Bible,[141] who

long, perhaps, had pursued in vain the murderer,--meet him, accost him

peacefully at 'Okáẓ, and only assault with cadences and rhymes him whose

presence alone seemed to accuse him of impotence or cowardice,--him whom

he was bound to slay, under pain of infamy, after the expiration of the

truce? In fine, how could he hear a panegyric celebrating a glory

acquired at his own expense, and sustain the fire of a thousand looks,

and yet appear unmoved? Had the Arabs no longer any blood in their veins

during the continuance of the fair?--These questions, so

embarrassing, ... were determined [to a great degree], during the age of

Arab paganism, in a manner the most simple and most refined.--At the

fair of 'Okáẓ, the heroes were masked [or veiled].--In the recitations

and improvisations, the voice of the orator was aided by that of a

rhapsodist or crier, who was stationed near him, and repeated his words.

There is a similar office in the public prayers: it is that of the

muballigh (transmitter), who is employed to repeat in a loud voice what

is said in a lower tone by the Imám. These two facts have been revealed

to me by the same manuscript which I am translating, and upon which I am

commenting. The use of the mask [or veil] might, however, be either

adopted or dispensed with, _ad libitum_; as is proved by the narratives

of a great number of quarrels begun and ended at 'Okáẓ.... It was in

this congress of the Arab poets (and almost every warriour was a poet at

the age which I am considering) that the dialects of Arabia became fused

into a magic language, the language of the Ḥejáz, which Moḥammad made

use of to subvert the world; for the triumph of Moḥammad is nothing else

than the triumph of speech."[142]--The Ḳur-án is regarded by the Arabs

as an everlasting miracle, surpassing all others, appealing to the

understanding of every generation by its inimitable eloquence. A

stronger proof of the power of language over their minds could hardly be

adduced; unless it be their being capable of receiving as a credible

fact the tradition that both genii and men were attracted by the

eloquent reading of David, when he recited the Psalms; that the wild

beasts and the birds were alike fascinated; and that sometimes there

were borne out from his assembly as many as four hundred corpses of men

who died from the excessive delight with which he thus inspired

them.[143] It may be added that the recitation, or chanting, of the

Ḳur-án is a favourite means of amusing the guests at modern private

festivities.

In what may be termed the Middle Age of Arabic literature, commencing

from the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, and extending to the

foundation of the Empire of Baghdád, the power of eloquence over the

educated classes of the Arabs probably increased in proportion as it

became less familiar to them: for, early in this age, they began to

simplify their spoken language in consequence of their intercourse with

strangers, who could not generally acquire the difficult, old dialect of

their conquerors: this, therefore, then began to be confined to literary

compositions. That such a change took place at this period appears from

several anecdotes interspersed in Arabic works. The Khaleefeh El-Weleed

(who reigned near the close of the first century of the Flight), the son

of 'Abd-El-Melik, spoke so corrupt a dialect that he often could not

make himself understood by the Arabs of the desert. A ridiculous

instance of the mistakes occasioned by his use of the simplified

language which is now current is related by Abu-l-Fidà. The same author

adds, that the father and predecessor of this prince was a man of

eloquence, and that he was grieved by the corrupt speech of his son,

which he considered as a defect that incapacitated him to be a future

ruler of the Arabs, as they were still great admirers of purity of

speech, though so large a proportion of them spoke a corrupt dialect;

wherefore, he sent him to a house to be instructed by a grammarian; but

after the youth had remained there a long time, he returned to his

father more ignorant than before. Vulgarisms, however, would sometimes

escape from the mouth of 'Abd-El-Melik himself; yet, so sensible was he

to eloquence, that, when a learned man, with whom he was conversing,

elegantly informed him of an error of this kind, he ordered his mouth to

be filled with jewels. "These," said his courteous admonisher, "are

things to be treasured up; not to be expended:"--and for this delicate

hint, he was further rewarded with thirty thousand pieces of silver, and

several costly articles of apparel.[144]--It may be aptly added, that

this Khaleefeh was, in the beginning of his reign, an unjust monarch;

and as he thus bore some slight resemblance to our Shahriyár, so was he

reclaimed to a sense of his duty by means somewhat similar. Being, one

night, unable to sleep, he called for a person to tell him a story for

his amusement. "O Prince of the Faithful," said the man thus bidden,

"there was an owl in El-Móṣil, and an owl in El-Baṣrah; and the owl of

El-Móṣil demanded in marriage, for her son, the daughter of the owl of

El-Baṣrah: but the owl of El-Baṣrah said, 'I will not, unless thou give

me, as her dowry, a hundred desolate farms.' 'That I cannot do,' said

the owl of El-Móṣil, 'at present; but if our sovereign (may God, whose

name be exalted, preserve him!) live one year, I will give thee what

thou desirest.'"--This simple fable sufficed to rouse the prince from

his apathy, and he thenceforward applied himself to fulfil the duties of

his station.[145]

In the most flourishing age of Arabic poetry and general literature and

science, commencing from the foundation of the Empire of Baghdád, and

extending to the conquest of Egypt by the 'Osmánlee Turks, the influence

of eloquent and entertaining language upon the character of the Arab

sovereigns was particularly exemplified. A few illustrative anecdotes

may here be inserted.

It is related by El-Aṣma'ee, that Hároon Er-Rasheed, at a grand fête

which he was giving, ordered the poet Abu-l-'Atáhiyeh to depict, in

verse, the voluptuous enjoyments of his sovereign. The poet began

thus:--

"Live long in safe enjoyment of thy desires, under the shadow

of lofty palaces!"

"Well said!" exclaimed Er-Rasheed: "and what next?"

"May thy wishes be abundantly fulfilled, whether at eventide

or in the morning!"

"Well!" again said the Khaleefeh: "then what next?"

"But when the rattling breath struggles in the dark cavity

of the chest.

Then shalt thou know surely, that thou hast been only in

the midst of illusions."

--Er-Rasheed wept; and Faḍl, the son of Yaḥyà, said, "The Prince of the

Faithful sent for thee to divert him, and thou hast plunged him into

grief." "Suffer him," said the prince; "for he hath beheld us in

blindness, and it displeased him to increase it."[146]

The family of the Barmekees (one of the most brilliant ornaments of

which was the Wezeer Jaạfar, who has been rendered agreeably familiar to

us by the many scenes in which he is introduced in the present work)

earned a noble and enduring reputation by their attachment to

literature, and the magnificent rewards they conferred on learned men.

It was peculiarly hard, therefore, that literature contributed to their

melancholy overthrow. Poets were employed by their enemies to compose

songs artfully pointed against them, to be sung before the prince to

whom they owed their power. Of one of these songs, the following lines

formed a part:--

"Would that Hind had fulfilled the promises she made us, and healed

the disease under which we suffer!

That she had once, at least, acted for herself! for imbecile, indeed,

is he who doth not so."

"Yea! By Allah! Imbecile!" exclaimed the Khaleefeh, on hearing these

verses: his jealousy was roused; and his vengeance soon after fell

heavily upon his former favourites.[147]

One of the Khaleefehs having invited the poets of his day to his palace,

a Bedawee, carrying a water-jar to fill at the river, followed them, and

entered with them. The Khaleefeh, seeing this poor man with the jar on

his shoulder, asked him what brought him thither. He returned for answer

these words:--

"Seeing that this company had girded on the saddles

To repair to thy overflowing river, I came with my jar."

The Khaleefeh, delighted with his answer, gave orders to fill his jar

with gold.[148]

In the present declining age of Arabian learning (which may be said to

have commenced about the period of the conquest of Egypt by the

'Osmánlees), literary recreations still exert a magic influence upon the

Arabs. Compositions of a similar nature to the tales of a Thousand and

One Nights (though regarded by the learned as idle stories unworthy of

being classed with their literature) enable numbers of professional

story-tellers to attract crowds of delighted listeners to the

coffee-shops of the East; and now that the original of the present work

is printed, and to be purchased at a moderate price, it will probably

soon, in a great measure, supersede the romances of Aboo-Zeyd, Eẓ-Ẓáhir,

and 'Antar. As a proof of the powerful fascinations with which the tales

of a Thousand and One Nights affect the mind of a highly-enlightened

Muslim, it may be mentioned that the latest native historian of Modern

Egypt, the sheykh 'Abd-Er-Raḥmán El-Jabartee, so delighted in their

perusal that he took the trouble of refining the language of a copy of

them which he possessed, expunging or altering whatever was grossly

offensive to morality without the somewhat redeeming quality of wit, and

adding many facetiæ of his own, and of other literati. What has become

of this copy, I have been unable, though acquainted with several of his

friends, to discover.

NOTE 19. It is a common custom among the Muslims to give a present to a

person who brings good tidings. The word (bishárah) which I render "a

reward for bringing good news," literally signifies merely "good news;"

but it is often used, as in this case, in the former sense.

NOTE 20. A Mohammadan woman is not allowed to show her face to any men

excepting certain near relations and others whom the law prohibits her

from marrying. Who these are will be mentioned in a future note,

descriptive of the general laws and ceremonies of marriage. Respectable

females consider it a great disgrace to be seen unveiled by any men but

those above alluded to.

NOTE 21.--_On the_ Deenár _and_ Dirhem. The standards of gold and

silver coin, among the Arabs, were the deenár and the dirhem: therefore,

in this work, I call the former "a piece of gold," and the latter "a

piece of silver." Their values have varied considerably at different

periods; but in the present work, we shall sufficiently approximate to

the truth, if we understand the average value of the former to be about

ten shillings or half a guinea; and that of the latter, about sixpence.

NOTE 22.--_Description of Shops._ In Eastern cities, most of the great

thoroughfare-streets, and many others, have a row of shops along each

side, not communicating with the superstructures; which latter are

divided into separate lodgings, inhabited by different families, and

seldom by the persons who rent the shops beneath. These streets are

called, in Arabic, "Sooḳs;" and are generally termed by us, "Bázárs." A

whole street of this description, or a portion of such a street,

commonly contains only or chiefly shops appropriated to a particular

trade; and is called the Sooḳ of that trade. In general, the shop is a

small recess or cell, about six or seven feet high, and between three

and four feet wide, the floor of which is even with the top of a raised

seat of stone or brick, called "maṣṭabah," between two and three feet

high, and about the same in breadth; upon which the shopkeeper usually

sits.[149] The front of the shop is furnished with shutters; which, when

closed, at night, are secured by a wooden lock. Several of the

engravings in this work will convey a better notion of shops of

different kinds than a more detailed description.

NOTE 23. Distrust in his governors and relations and acquaintance often

induces an Arab to hide his money under the paved floor of a room, or in

some other place, in his house.

NOTE 24. These words, "I give myself to thee," uttered by a woman to a

man, even without the presence of witnesses, if they cannot be easily

procured, render her his lawful wife, if he replies that he accepts her,

and gives her a dowry.

NOTE 25. I have substituted "Jinneeyeh" (agreeably with the Calcutta

edition of the first two hundred nights, and because the context

requires it) for "'Efreeteh," which signifies a powerful and evil female

genie.--The tale to which this note refers may be illustrated by the

following anecdote, which was related to me by a Persian with whom I was

acquainted in Cairo, named Abu-l-Ḳásim, a native of Geelán, then

superintendent of the Báshà's Printing-office at Booláḳ.

One of this person's countrymen, whom he asserted to be a man of

indubitable veracity, was sitting on the roof of a house which he had

hired, overlooking the Ganges, and was passing the closing hour of the

day, according to his usual custom, smoking his Persian pipe, and

feasting his eyes by gazing at the beautiful forms of Indian maidens

bathing in the river, when he beheld among them one so lovely that his

heart was overpowered with desire to have her for his wife. At nightfall

she came to him, and told him that she had observed his emotion, and

would consent to become his wife; but on the condition that he should

never admit another female to take or share her place, and that she

should only be with him in the night-time. They took the marriage-vow to

each other, with none for their witness but God; and great was his

happiness, till, one evening, he saw again, among a group of girls in

the river, another who excited in him still more powerful emotions. To

his surprise, this very form stood before him at the approach of night.

He withstood the temptation, mindful of his marriage-vow: she used every

allurement; but he was resolute. His fair visiter then told him that she

was his wife; that she was a Jinneeyeh; and that she would always

thenceforward visit him in the form of any female whom he might chance

to prefer.

NOTE 26. This form of benediction is almost always added when the

Prophet is mentioned in a book by any of his followers, and often also

in conversation.

NOTE 27. Perhaps it is needless to explain this proverb by the words of

the Bible--"Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans,

xii. 19.) For the honour of the Muslims I must say that this maxim is

often observed by them, excepting in cases to which the law of

retaliation applies.

NOTE 28. The houses in Arabian countries generally have flat roofs, upon

which, in the summer, some of the inhabitants often sleep: the interior,

therefore, is as accessible from the roof as from the common entrance.

NOTE 29. I here steer a middle course between my usual standard

copy--which gives the story of the third sheykh more fully than I have

done--and the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, which

omits it altogether, as does also the copy from which the old

translation was made, perhaps on account of its uninteresting nature.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[111] Ḳur-án, ch. xiii. v. 39.

[112] "El-Insán el-Kámil," by 'Abd-El-Kereem El-Jeelee, quoted

by El-Is-ḥáḳee, in his account of Ibráheem Báshà el-Maḳtool.

[113] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. i. pp. 26-34.

[114] Ibid.

[115] Idem, vol. ii. p. 373.

[116] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaähhil, section 7.

[117] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. p. 381.

[118] For a translation of the whole of this prayer, see

"Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch, xii.

[119] Ḳur-án, ch. v. v. 35.

[120] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch. xv.

[121] These degrees of relationship will be explained when I

describe the customs relating to marriage.

[122] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaähhil, section 9.

[123] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. pp. 140 and 141.

[124] Nuzhet El-Mutaämmil, &c., _loco laudato_.

[125] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. vii.

[126] Events of the year 227.

[127] Ḳur-án, ch. xxvii. v. 40; and Commentary of the Jeláleyn.

[128] See "Mishḳát el-Maṣábeeḥ," vol. ii. p. 374.

[129] Idem, vol ii. pp. 384, et seqq.

[130] Account of the early Arabs, in the "Mir-át ez-Zemán."

[131] During his last residence in Egypt, Mr. Lane thought he

had discovered a clue to the means employed in these

performances, but he afterwards found that there were cases

which remained to him inexplicable.--ED.

[132] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, _loco laudato_.

[133] Mir-át ez-Zemán, _loco laudato_.

[134] El-Is-ḥáḳee, in his account of the reign of El-Moạtaṣim,

the son of Hároon.

[135] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. p. 388.

[136] Vulgarly pronounced Nemrood.

[137] El-Is-ḥáḳee, close of his account of the reign of

El-Emeen.

[138] El-Jabartee's Modern Egyptian History (MS. in my

possession); account of the death of Yoosuf Bey, in the year of

the Flight 1191; and account of the death of the sheykh Ḥasan

El-Kafráwee, in the year 1202.

[139] Hence it has been called by many travellers, and even by

some learned Orientalists, the Great Feast; but it is never so

called by the Arabs.

[140] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. p. 424.

[141] Genesis ix. 5.

[142] Lettres sur l'Histoire des Arabes avant l'Islamisme, par

Fulgence Fresnel. Paris, 1836, pp. 31, et seqq.

[143] El-Is-háḳee.

[144] El-Is-ḥáḳee.

[145] Idem.

[146] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.

p. 3 of the Arabic Text: 2nd edition.

[147] Ibn-Khaldoon, _ubi supra_, vol. i. p. 124 of the Arabic

text.

[148] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt (MS. in my possession), chap. vii.

[149] The maṣṭabah, with the picturesque Arab architecture of

which it forms a part, is fast disappearing from Egypt. In

Cairo and Alexandria, Moḥammad 'Alee ordered that the maṣṭabahs

in the thoroughfare-streets should be removed, or reduced to

about a foot in width; and interdicted the erection of new

meshrebeeyehs (projecting windows of lattice-work), although he

allowed the old ones to remain.--ED.