[339]. Who had a prior right to marry her, but not against her consent after she was of age.
[340]. Arab. “Sirwál.” In Al-Hariri it is a singular form (see No. ii. of the twelve riddles in Ass. xxiv.); but Mohammed said to his followers “Tuakhkhizú” (adopt ye) “Saráwílát.” The latter is regularly declinable but the broken form Saráwíl is imperfectly declinable on account of its “heaviness,” as are all plurals whose third letter is an Alif followed by i or í in the next syllable.
[341]. Arab. “Matarik” from mitrak or mitrakah a small wooden shield coated with hide. This even in the present day is the policeman’s equipment in the outer parts of the East.
[342]. “Arab. “Sabíyah” for which I prefer Mr. Payne’s “young lady” to Lane’s “damsel”; the latter should be confined to Járiyah as both bear the double sense of girl and slave (or servant) girl. “Bint” again is daughter, maid or simply girl.
[343]. The sense of them is found in vol. ii. [41].
[344]. Here the text is defective, but I hardly like to supply the omission. Mr. Payne introduces from below, “for that his charms were wasted and his favour changed by reason of the much terror and affliction he had suffered.” The next lines also are very abrupt and unconnected.
[345]. Arab. “Yá Mauláya!” the term is still used throughout Moslem lands; but in Barbary where it is pronounced “Mooláee” Europeans have converted it to “Muley” as if it had some connection with the mule. Even in Robinson Crusoe we find “muly” or “Moly Ismael” (chapt. ii.); and we hear the high-sounding name Maulá-i-Idrís, the patron saint of the Sunset Land, debased to “Muley Drís.”
ABU AL-HASAN OF KHORASAN.[[346]]
The Caliph Al-Mu’tazid Bi ’llah[[347]] was a high-spirited Prince and a noble-minded lord; he had in Baghdad six hundred Wazirs and of the affairs of the folk naught was hidden from him. He went forth one day, he and Ibn Hamdún,[[348]] to divert himself with observing his lieges and hearing the latest news of the people; and, being overtaken with the heats of noonday, they turned aside from the main thoroughfare into a little by-street, at the upper end whereof they saw a handsome and high-builded mansion, discoursing of its owner with the tongue of praise. They sat down at the gate to take rest, and presently out came two eunuchs as they were moons on their fourteenth night. Quoth one of them to his fellow, “Would Heaven some guest would seek admission this day! My master will not eat but with guests and we are come to this hour and I have not yet seen a soul.” The Caliph marvelled at their speech and said, “This is a proof of the house-master’s liberality: there is no help but that we go in to him and note his generosity, and this shall be a means of favour betiding him from us.” So he said to the eunuch, “Ask leave of thy lord for the admission of a company[[349]] of strangers.” For in those days it was the Caliph’s wont, whenas he was minded to observe his subjects, to disguise himself in merchant’s garb. The eunuch went in and told his master, who rejoiced and rising, came out to them in person. He was fair of favour and fine of form and he appeared clad in a tunic of Níshápúr[[350]] silk and a gold laced mantle; and he dripped with scented waters and wore on his hand a signet ring of rubies. When he saw them, he said to them, “Well come and welcome to the lords who favour us with the utmost of favour by their coming!” So they entered the house and found it such as would make a man forget family and fatherland for it was like a piece of Paradise.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Sixtieth Night,