[52]. Arab. “Farajíyah,” for which see vol. i. 210, 321.
[53]. For this aphrodisiac see vol. vi. 60.
[54]. In the text “Ay ni’am,” still a popular expression.
[55]. Arab. “’Ilm al-Híah,” gen. translated Astrology, but here meaning scientific Physiognomy. All these branches of science, including Palmistry, are nearly connected: the features and the fingers, mounts, lines, etc. being referred to the sun, moon and planets.
[56]. Arab. “Mihaffah bi-takhtrawán”: see vols. ii. 180; v. 175.
[57]. The H. V. is more explicit: “do not so, or the King of the Jänn will slay thee even before thou canst enjoy her and will carry her away.”
[58]. Arab. “Shahwah” the rawest and most direct term. The Moslem religious has no absurd shame of this natural passion. I have heard of a Persian Imam, who, suddenly excited as he was sleeping in a friend’s house, awoke the master with, “Shahwah dáram” = “I am lustful” and was at once gratified by a “Mut’ah,” temporary and extempore marriage to one of the slave-girls. These morganatic marriages are not, I may note, allowed to the Sunnis.
[59]. Arab. “Min ba’di an” for “Min ba’di má” = after that, still popular in the latter broad form.
[60]. The word has been used in this tale with a threefold sense Egypt, old Cairo (Fostat) and new Cairo, in fact to the land and to its capital for the time being.
[61]. Arab. “Kabbaltu” = I have accepted, i.e. I accept emphatically. Arabs use this form in sundry social transactions, such as marriages, sales, contracts, bargains and so forth, to denote that the engagement is irrevocable and that no change can be made. De Sacy neglected to note this in his Grammar, but explains it in his Chrestomathy (i. 44, 53), and rightly adds that the use of this energetic form peut-être serait susceptible d’applications plus étendues.