One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  269 “Yá A’awar”=O one-eye! i.e.. the virile member. So the vulgar insult “Ya ibn al-aur” (as the vulgar pronounce it) “O son of a yard!” When Al-Mas’údi writes (Fr. Trans. vii. 106), “Udkhul usbu’ak fí aynih,” it must not be rendered “Il faut lui faire violence”: thrust thy finger into his eye (‘Ayn) means “put thy penis up his fundament!” (‘Ayn being=Dubur). The French remarks, “On en trouverait l’équivalent dans les bas-fonds de notre langue.” So in English “pig’s eye,” “blind eye,” etc.

  270 Arab. “Nabbút”=a quarterstaff: see vol. i. 234.

  271 Arab. “Banní,” vulg. Benni and in Lane (Lex. Bunni) the Cyprinus Bynni (Forsk.), a fish somewhat larger than a barbel with lustrous silvery scales and delicate flesh, which Sonnini believes may be the “Lepidotes” (smooth-scaled) mentioned by Athenćus. I may note that the Bresl. Edit. (iv. 332) also affects the Egyptian vulgarism “Farkh-Banni” of the Mac. Edit. (Night dcccxxxii.).

  272 The story-teller forgets that Khalif had neither basket nor knife.

  273 Arab. “Rayhán” which may here mean any scented herb.

  274 In the text “Fard Kalmah,” a vulgarism. The Mac. Edit.

  (Night dcccxxxv.) more aptly says, “Two words” (Kalmatáni, vulg.

  Kalmatayn) the Twofold Testimonies to the Unity of Allah and the

  Mission of His Messenger.

  275 The lowest Cairene chaff which has no respect for itself or others.

  276 Arab. “Karrat azlá hú”: alluding to the cool skin of healthy men when digesting a very hearty meal.

  277 This is the true Fellah idea. A peasant will go up to his proprietor with the “rint” in gold pieces behind his teeth and undergo an immense amount of flogging before he spits them out. Then he will return to his wife and boast of the number of sticks he has eaten instead of paying at once and his spouse will say, “Verily thou art a man.” Europeans know nothing of the Fellah. Napoleon Buonaparte, for political reasons, affected great pity for him and horror of his oppressors, the Beys and Pashas; and this affectation gradually became public opinion. The Fellah must either tyrannise or be tyrannised over; he is never happier than under a strong-handed despotism and he has never been more miserable than under British rule or rather misrule. Our attempts to constitutionalise him have made us the laughing-stock of Europe.

  278 The turban is a common substitute for a purse with the lower classes of Egyptians; and an allusion to the still popular practice of turban-snatching will be found in vol. i. .

  279 Arab. “Sálih,” a devotee; here, a naked Dervish.

  280 Here Khalif is made a conspicuous figure in Baghdad like Boccaccio’s Calandrino and Co. He approaches in type the old Irishman now extinct, destroyed by the reflux action of Anglo-America (U.S.) upon the miscalled “Emerald Isle.” He blunders into doing and saying funny things whose models are the Hibernian “bulls” and acts purely upon the impulse of the moment, never reflecting till (possibly) after all is over.

  281 Arab. “Kaylúlah,” explained in vol. i. 51.

  282 i.e. thy bread lawfully gained. The “Bawwák” (trumpeter) like the “Zammár” (piper of the Mac. Edit.) are discreditable craftsmen, associating with Almahs and loose women and often serving as their panders.

  283 i.e. he was indecently clad. Man’s “shame” extends from navel to knees. See vol vi. 118.

  284 Rashád would be=garden-cresses or stones: Rashíd the heaven-directed.

  285 Arab. “Uff ‘alayka”=fie upon thee! Uff=lit. Sordes Aurium and Tuff (a similar term of disgust)=Sordes unguinum. To the English reader the blows administered to Khalif appear rather hard measure. But a Fellah’s back is thoroughly broken to the treatment and he would take ten times as much punishment for a few piastres.

  286 Arab. “Zurayk” dim. of Azrak=blue-eyed. See vol. iii. 104.

  287 Of Baghdad.

  288 Arab. “Hásil,” i.e. cell in a Khan for storing goods: elsewhere it is called a Makhzan (magazine) with the same sense.

  289 The Bresl. text (iv. 347) abbreviates, or rather omits; so that in translation details must be supplied to make sense.

  290 Arab. “Kamán,” vulgar Egyptian, a contraction from Kamá (as) + anna (since, because). So “ Kamán shuwayh”=wait a bit; “ Kamán marrah”=once more and “Wa Kamána-ka”=that is why.

  291 i.e. Son of the Eagle: See vol. iv. 177. Here, however, as the text shows it is hawk or falcon. The name is purely fanciful and made mnemonically singular.

  292 The Egyptian Fellah knows nothing of boxing like the

  Hausá man; but he is fond of wrestling after a rude and

  uncultivated fashion, which would cause shouts of laughter in

  Cumberland and Cornwall. And there are champions in this line,

  See vol. ii. 93.

  293 The usual formula. See vol. ii. 5.

  294 As the Fellah still does after drinking a cuplet (“fingán” he calls it) of sugared coffee.

  295 He should have said “white,” the mourning colour under the Abbasides.

  296 Anglicč, “Fine feathers make fine birds”; and in Eastern parlance, “Clothe the reed and it will become a bride.” (Labbis al-Búsah tabkí ‘Arúsah, Spitta Bey, No. 275.) I must allow myself a few words of regret for the loss of this Savant, one of the most singleminded men known to me. He was vilely treated by the Egyptian Government, under the rule of the Jew-Moslem Riyáz; and, his health not allowing him to live in Austria, he died shortly after return home.

  297 Arab. “ Saub (Tobe) ‘Atábi”: see vol. iii. 149.

  298 In text “Kimkhá,” which Dozy also gives Kumkh=chenille,

  tissu de soie veloutee: Damasqučte de soie or et argent de

  Venise, du Levant , ŕ fleurs, etc. It comes from Kamkháb or

  Kimkháb, a cloth of gold, the well-known Indian “Kimcob.”

  299 Here meaning=Enter in Allah’s name!

  300 The Arabs have a saying, “Wine breeds gladness, music merriment and their offspring is joy.”

  301 Arab. “Jokh al-Saklát,” rich kind of brocade on broadcloth.

  302 Arab. “Hanabát,” which Dozy derives from O. German

  Hnapf, Hnap now Napf: thence too the Lat. Hanapus and Hanaperium:

  Ital. Anappo, Nappo; Provenc. Enap and French and English

  “Hanap”= rich bowl, basket, bag. But this is known even to the

  dictionaries.

  303 Arab. “ Kirám,” nobles, and “ Kurúm,” vines, a word which appears in Carmel=Karam-El (God’s vineyard).

  304 Arab. “Suláf al-Khandarísí,” a contradiction. Suláf=the ptisane of wine. Khandarísí, from Greek {chóndros}, lit. gruel, applies to old wine.

  305 i.e. in bridal procession.

  306 Arab. “Al-’Arús, one of the innumerable tropical names given to wine by the Arabs. Mr. Payne refers to Grangeret de la Grange, Anthologie Arabe, .

  307 Here the text of the Mac. Edition is resumed.

  308 i.e. “Adornment of (good) Qualities.” See the name punned on in Night dcccli. Lane omits this tale because it contains the illicit “Amours of a Christian and a Jewess who dupes her husband in various abominable ways.” The text has been taken from the Mac. and the Bresl. Edits. x. 72 etc. In many parts the former is a mere Epitome.

  309 The face of her who owns the garden.

  310 i.e. I am no public woman.

  311 i.e. with the sight of the garden and its mistress — purposely left vague.

  312 Arab. “Dádat.” Night dcclxxvi. vol. vii. .

  313 Meaning respectively “Awaking” (or blowing hard), “Affairs” (or Misfortunes) and “Flowing” (blood or water). They are evidently intended for the names of Jewish slave-girls.

  314 i.e. the brow-curls, or accroche-curs. See vol. i. 168.

  315 Arab. “Wisháh” usually applied to woman’s broad belt, stomacher (Al-Hariri Ass. of Rayy).

  317 The old Greek “Stephane.”

  317 Alluding to the popular fancy of the rain-drop which becomes a pearl.


  318 Arab. “Ghází”=one who fights for the faith.

  319 i.e. people of different conditions.

  320 The sudden change appears unnatural to Europeans; but an Eastern girl talking to a strange man in a garden is already half won. The beauty, however, intends to make trial of her lover’s generosity before yielding.

  321 These lines have occurred in the earlier part of the

  Night: I quote Mr. Payne for variety.

  322 Arab. “Al-Sháh mát”=the King is dead, Pers. and Arab. grotesquely mixed: Europeans explain “Checkmate” in sundry ways, all more or less wrong.

  323 Cheating (Ghadr) is so common that Easterns who have no tincture of Western civilisation look upon it not only as venial but laudable when one can take advantage of a simpleton. No idea of “honour” enters into it. Even in England the old lady whist-player of the last generation required to be looked after pretty closely — if Mr. Charles Dickens is to be trusted.

  324 Arab. “Al-Gháliyah,” whence the older English Algallia.

  See vol. i., 128. The Voyage of Linschoten, etc. Hakluyt Society

  MDCCCLXXXV., with notes by my learned friend the late Arthur Coke

  Burnell whose early death was so sore a loss to Oriental

  students.

  325 A favourite idiom, “What news bringest thou?” (“O

  Asám!” Arab. Prov. ii. 589) used by Háris bin Amrú, King of

  Kindah, to the old woman Asám whom he had sent to inspect a girl

  he purposed marrying.

  326 Amongst the Jews the Arab Salám becomes “Shalúm” and a

  Jewess would certainly not address this ceremonial greeting to a

  Christian. But Eastern storytellers care little for these

  minutić; and the “Adornment of Qualities,” was not by birth a

  Jewess as the sequel will show.

  327 Arab. “Sálifah,” the silken plaits used as adjuncts.

  See vol. iii, 313.

  328 I have translated these lines in vol. i. 131, and quoted Mr. Torrens in vol. iv. 235. Here I borrow from Mr. Payne.

  329 Mr. Payne notes: — Apparently some place celebrated for its fine bread, as Gonesse in seventeenth-century France. It occurs also in Bresl. Edit. (iv. 203) and Dozy does not understand it. But Arj the root=good odour.

  330 Arab. “Tás,” from Pers. Tásah. M. Charbonneau a Professor of Arabic at Constantine and Member of the Asiatic Soc. Paris, who published the Histoire de Chams-Eddine et Nour-Eddine with Maghrabi punctuation (Paris, Hachette, 1852) remarks the similarity of this word to Tazza and a number of other whimsical coincidences as Zauj, {zygós} jugum; Inkár, negare; matrah, matelas; Ishtirá, acheter, etc. To which I may add wasat, waist; zabad, civet; Bás, buss (kiss); uzrub (pron. Zrub), drub; Kat’, cut; Tarík, track; etc., etc.

  331 We should say “To her (I drink)” etc.

  332 This is ad captandum. The lovers becoming Moslems would secure the sympathy of the audience. In the sequel (Night dccclviii) we learn that the wilful young woman was a born Moslemah who had married a Jew but had never Judaized.

  333 The doggerel of this Kasidah is not so phenomenal as some we have seen.

  334 Arab. “‘Andam”=Brazil wood, vol. iii. 263.

  335 Arab. “ Himŕ.” See supra, .

  336 i.e. her favours were not lawful till the union was sanctified by heartwhole (if not pure) love.

  337 Arab. “Mansúr wa munazzam=oratio soluta et ligata.

  338 i.e. the cupbearers.

  339 Which is not worse than usual.

  340 i.e. “Ornament of Qualities.”

  341 The ‘Akík, a mean and common stone, ranks high in

  Moslem poetry on account of the saying of Mohammed recorded by

  Ali and Ayishah “Seal with seals of Carnelian.” (‘Akik.)

  342 See note ii. at the end of this volume.

  343 Arab. “Mahall” as opposed to the lady’s “Manzil,” which would be better “Makám.” The Arabs had many names for their old habitations, e.g.; Kubbah, of brick; Sutrah, of sun-dried mud; Hazírah, of wood; Tiráf, a tent of leather; Khabáa, of wool; Kash’a, of skins; Nakhád, of camel’s or goat’s hair; Khaymah, of cotton cloth; Wabar, of soft hair as the camel’s undercoat and Fustát (the well-known P.N.) a tent of horsehair or any hair (Sha’ar) but Wabar.

  344 This is the Maghribi form of the Arab. Súk=a bazar-street, known from Tanjah (Tangiers) to Timbuctoo.

  345 Arab. “Walímah” usually=a wedding-feast. According to the learned Nasíf al-Yazají the names of entertainments are as follows: Al-Jafalŕ=a general invitation, opp. to Al-Nakarŕ, especial; Khurs, a childbirth feast; ‘Akíkah, when the boy-babe is first shaved; A’zár=circumcision-feast; Hizák, when the boy has finished his perlection of the Koran; Milák, on occasion of marriage-offer; Wazímah, a mourning entertainment; Wakírah=a “house-warming”; Nakí’ah, on returning from wayfare; ‘Akírah, at beginning of the month Rajab; Kirŕ=a guest-feast and Maadubah, a feast for other cause; any feast.

  346 Arab. “Anistaná” the pop. phrase=thy company gladdens us.

  347 Here “Muákhát” or making mutual brotherhood would be=entering into a formal agreement for partnership. For the forms of “making brotherhood,” see vol. iii. {151}.

  348 Arab. “Ishárah” in classical Arab. signs with the finger (beckoning); Aumá with the hand; Ramz, with the lips; Khalaj, with the eyelids (wink); and Ghamz with the eye. Aumáz is a furtive glance, especially of women, and Ilház, a side-glance from lahaza, limis oculis intuitus est. See Preston’s Al-Hariri, .

  349 Arab. “Haudaj” (Hind. Haudah, vulg. Howda=elephant-saddle), the women’s camel-litter, a cloth stretched over a wooden frame. See the Prize-poem of Lebid, v. 12.

  350 i.e. the twelve days’ visit.

  351 See note, vol. vii. {226}. So Dryden (Virgil): —

  “And the hoarse raven on the blasted bough

  By croaking to the left presaged the coming blow.”

  And Gay (Fable xxxvii.),

  “That raven on the left-hand oak,

  Curse on his ill-betiding croak!”

  In some Persian tales two crows seen together are a good omen.

  352 Vulgar Moslems hold that each man’s fate is written in the sutures of his skull but none can read the lines. See vol. iii. 123.

  353 i.e. cease not to bemoan her lot whose moon-faced beloved ones are gone.

  354 Arab. “Rukb” used of a return caravan; and also meaning travellers on camels. The vulgar however apply “Rákib” (a camel-rider) to a man on horseback who is properly Fáris plur. “Khayyálah,” while “Khayyál” is a good rider. Other names are “Fayyál” (elephant-rider), Baghghál (mule-rider) and Hammár (donkey-rider).

  355 A popular exaggeration. See vol. i. 117

  356 Lit. Empty of tent-ropes (Atnáb).

  357 Arab. “‘Abír,” a fragrant powder sprinkled on face, body and clothes. In India it is composed of rice flower or powdered bark of the mango, Deodar (uvaria longifolia), Sandalwood, lign-aloes or curcuma (zerumbat or zedoaria) with rose-flowers, camphor, civet and anise-seed. There are many of these powders: see in Herklots Chiksá, Phul, Ood, Sundul, Uggur, and Urgujja.

  358 i.e. fair faced boys and women. These lines are from the Bresl. Edit. x. 160.

  359 i.e. the Chief Kazi. For the origin of the Office and title see vol. ii. 90, and for the Kazi al-Arab who administers justice among the Badawin see Pilgrimage iii. 45.

  360 Arab. “Raas al-Mál”=capital, as opposed to Ribá or

  Ribh=interest. This legal expression has been adopted by all

  Moslem races.

  361 Our Aden which is thus noticed by Abulfeda (A.D. 1331): “Aden in the lowlands of Tehámah * * * also called Abyana from a man (who found it?), built upon the seashore, a station (for land travellers) and a sailing-place for merchant ships India-bound, is dry and sunparcht (Kashifah, squalid, scorbutic) and sweet water must be imported. * * * It lies 86 parasangs from San’á but Ibn Haukal following the travell
ers makes it three stages. The city, built on the skirt of a wall-like mountain, has a watergate and a landgate known as Bab al-Sákayn. But ‘Adan Lá’ah (the modest, the timid, the less known as opposed to Abyan, the better known?) is a city in the mountains of Sabir, Al-Yaman, whence issued the supporters of the Fatimite Caliphs of Egypt.” ‘Adan etymologically means in Arab. and Heb. pleasure ({hédone}), Eden (the garden), the Heaven in which spirits will see Allah and our “Coal-hole of the East,” which we can hardly believe ever to have been an Eden. Mr. Badger who supplied me with this note described the two Adens in a paper in Ocean Highways, which he cannot now find. In the ‘Ajáib al-Makhlúkát, Al-Kazwíni (ob. A.D. 1275) derives the name from Ibn Sinán bin Ibrahím; and is inclined there to place the Bír al-Mu’attal (abandoned well) and the Kasr alMashíd (lofty palace) of Koran xxii. 44; and he adds “Kasr al-Misyad” to those mentioned in the tale of Sayf al-Mulúk and Badí’a al-Jamál.

  362 Meaning that she had been carried to the Westward of

  Meccah.

  363 Arab. “Zahrawíyah” which contains a kind of double entendre. Fátimah the Prophet’s only daughter is entitled Al-Zahrá the “bright-blooming”; and this is also an epithet of Zohrah the planet Venus. For Fatimah see vol. vi. 145. Of her Mohammed said, “Love your daughters, for I too am a father of daughters” and, “Love them, they are the comforters, the dearlings.” The Lady appears in Moslem history a dreary young woman (died ćt. 28) who made this world, like Honorius, a hell in order to win a next-world heaven. Her titles are Zahrá and Batúl (Pilgrimage ii. 90) both signifying virgin. Burckhardt translates Zahrá by “bright blooming” (the etymological sense): it denotes literally a girl who has not menstruated, in which state of purity the Prophet’s daughter is said to have lived and died. “Batúl” has the sense of a “clean maid” and is the title given by Eastern Christians to the Virgin Mary. The perpetual virginity of Fatimah even after motherhood (Hasan and Husayn) is a point of orthodoxy in Al-Islam as Juno’s with the Romans and Umá’s with the Hindú worshippers of Shiva. During her life Mohammed would not allow Ali a second wife, and he held her one of the four perfects, the other three being Asia wife of “Pharaoh,” the Virgin Mary and Khadijah his own wife. She caused much scandal after his death by declaring that he had left her the Fadak estate (Abulfeda I, 133, 273) a castle with a fine palm-orchard near Khaybar. Abu Bakr dismissed the claim quoting the Apostle’s Hadis, “We prophets are folk who will away nothing: what we leave is alms-gift to the poor,” and Shí’ahs greatly resent his decision. (See Dabistan iii. 5152 for a different rendering of the words.) I have given the popular version of the Lady Fatimah’s death and burial (Pilgrimage ii. 315) and have remarked that Moslem historians delight in the obscurity which hangs over her last resting-place, as if it were an honour even for the receptacle of her ashes to be concealed from the eyes of men. Her repute is a curious comment on Tom Hood’s