[434]. The names are = Martha and Mary.
[435]. MS. vi. 57–77, not translated by Scott, who entitles it (vi. 461) “Mhassun, the Liberal, and Mouseh, the treacherous Friend.” It is a variant of “The Envier and the Envied:” vol. i. 123.
[436]. The Arab, “Jarrah”: vol. viii. 177.
[437]. i.e. One who does good, a benefactor.
[438]. In the text “Músà wa Múzí,” the latter word = vexatious, troublesome. [I notice that in the MS. the name is distinctly and I believe purposely spelt with Hamzah above the Wáw and Kasrah beneath the Sín, reading “Muusí.” It is, therefore a travesty of the name Músà, and the exact counterpart of “Muhsin,” being the active participle of “asáa,” 4th form of “sáa,” = he did evil, he injured, and nearly equivalent with the following “Muuzí.” The two names may perhaps be rendered: Muhsin, the Beneficent, and Muusí, the Malignant, the Malefactor.—St.]
[439]. In text “Fatír” for “Fatírah” = a pancake, before described.
[440]. In text “Bi-khátiri-k” = Thy will be done; the whole dialogue is in pure Fellah speech.
[441]. Supposed to be American, but, despite Bartlett, really old English from Lancashire, the land which has supplied many of the so-called “American” neologisms. A gouge is a hollow chisel, a scoop; and to gouge is to poke out the eye: this is done by thrusting the fingers into the side-hair thus acting as base and by prising out the ball with the thumb-nail which is purposely grown long.
[442]. [In the text: “Fa tarak-hu Muusí am’à dáir yaltash fí ’l-Tarík.” Latash has the meaning of beating, tapping; I therefore think the passage means: “hereupon Muusí left him, blind as he was, tramping and groping his way” (feeling it with his hands or stick).—St.]
[443]. In text “Biiru milyánah Moyah.” As a rule the Fellah of Egypt says “Mayyeh,” the Cairene “Mayya,” and the foreigner “Moyah”: the old Syrian is “Mayá,” the mod. “Moy,” and the classical dim. of “Má” is “Muwayh,” also written “Muwayy” and “Muwayhah.”