Khawla, one of the sorceresses in the caves of Dom-Daniel, “under the roots of the ocean.” She is called “the woman-fiend,” “fiercest of the enchanter brood.” She had heard that one of the race of Hodei´rah (3 syl.) would be their destruction, so Okba was sent forth to cut off the whole race. He succeeded in killing eight, but one named Thal´aba escaped. Abdaldar was chosen to hunt him up and kill him. He found the boy in an Arab’s tent, and raised the dagger, but ere the blow fell, the murderer himself was killed by the death-angel.—Southey, Thalaba, the Destroyer (1797).
Khid´ir or Chidder, the tutelary god of voyagers; his brother Elias is the tutelary god of travellers. The two brothers meet once a year at Mina, near Mecca.—Mouradgea d’Ohsson, History of the Ottoman Empire (1821).
Khorassan (The Veiled Prophet of), Mokanna, a prophet-chief, who wore a veil under pretence of shading the dazzling light of his countenance. The truth is, he had lost an eye, and his face was otherwise disfigured in battle. Mokanna assumed to be a god, and maintained that he had been Adam, Noah, and other representative men. When the Sultan Mahadi environed him so that escape was impossible, the prophet poisoned all his followers at a banquet, and then threw himself into a burning acid, which wholly consumed his body.—T. Moore, Lalla Rookh (“The Veiled Prophet, etc.,” 1817).
Kifri, a giant and enchanter, the impersonation of atheism and blasphemy. After some frightful blasphemies, he hurls into the air a huge rock, which falls on himself and kills him, “for self-murderers are generally infidels or atheists.”—Sir C. Morell [J. Ridley], Tales of the Genii (“The Enchanter’s Tale,” vi., 1751).
Kildare (2 syl.), famous for the fire of St. Bridget, which was never allowed to go out. St. Bridget returns every twentieth year to tend to the fire herself. Part of the chapel of St. Bridget still remains, and is called “The Fire-house.”
Like the bright lamp that shone in Kildare’s holy fane,
And burned through long ages of darkness and storm.
T.Moore, Irish Melodies, iii. (“Erin, O Erin!” 1814).
Apud Kildariam occurrit ignis Sanctæ Brigidæ quern inextinguebilem vocant.—Giraldus Cambrensis, Hibernia, ii. 34 (1187).
Kilderkin (Ned), keeper of an eating-house at Greenwich.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).