The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I. / Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments

by Unknown

Among other calculations of the same kind is the following, which my sheykh has mentioned in a marginal note on this passage, in the copy from which I translate.—The numerical values of the letters composing the name of each of the two parties are added together, and one of these two sums is subtracted from the other: if the remainder is an uneven number, the inference is unfavourable; but if even, the reverse.

In the present instance, the dupe, knowing that there are various modes of divining whether he will be happy with his wife, is made to believe that his fortune depends upon the mode, instead of the result, of the calculation.

Note [75.] Here, in my original, "Baḳbaḳ;" but this, as before mentioned, was the name of the third brother.

Note [76.] "Ḳuffeh," signifying "a basket of palm-leaves," and "a dry gourd," seems to be here equivalent to "empty-head."

Note [77.] The blind in Egypt are notorious for their impudence.—It is related that Moses, while bathing one day in the Nile, saw a blind man pass by, and, being moved with pity, prayed that God would restore his sight. His prayer was answered; but as soon as the eyes of the blind man were opened, he seized the clothes of his benefactor, which were lying on the bank, and protested that they were his own. Moses, therefore, now prayed that the thief might be struck blind again; and God, answering his prayer, said, O Moses, know that I am wiser than thou with respect to my creatures.—This tradition was related to me in Cairo.

Note [78.] It is generally thus that an injured Muslim calls others to his aid.

Note [79.] Like the natives of Egypt in the period of the Roman domination,[341] its modern inhabitants, and the Arabs of other countries (though, I believe, in a less degree), are notorious for their obstinacy in refusing to pay their taxes until they have been severely beaten. They well know that, the more readily they pay, the more will be exacted from them; and are often heard to boast of the number of stripes which they have received before yielding their money. The same obstinacy is generally displayed by an Arab accused of any offence; and often, even by a witness: in either case the man fears that, should he tell at once all he can, the judge will try whether the stick or the kurbáj[342] will elicit a further confession.

Note [80.]—On the general Corruptness of Muslim Judges. Khiḍr Bey (whether he was a judge I do not know), conversing one day with his friends on the difficulties experienced in the exercise of judicature, one of the company remarked, "In my opinion, the greatest difficulty that is met with is, when one of the parties is rich, and the other, poor."—"In that case," replied Khiḍr Bey, "I find none; for it is clear that the rich will gain his cause, and the poor will lose: but the great difficulty is, when the two parties are equally rich and powerful. If thou, he continued, being a poor man, have a suit against one who is rich and powerful, beware of applying to the Ḳáḍee; for he will not fail to condemn thee: my advice is, that thou desist altogether from thy suit, and rather throw thyself at the feet of thine adversary; for thou wilt obtain more justice from him than from the Ḳáḍee."[343]—For a justification of the opinion here expressed, see my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iv.

Note [81.]—On good and evil Omens. Of omens I have already treated, in Note 15 to Chapter i.: but a few words on this subject must be here added.—It is common to draw a lucky or unlucky omen from the first object seen on going out in the morning; and according as that object is pleasant or the contrary, the person says, "my morning is good," or "——bad." A one-eyed man is regarded as of evil omen; and especially one who is blind of the left eye. Many a person is related to have suffered for having an unlucky countenance.

Note [82.] The portion of this story comprised in the first paragraph having been the subject of a specimen of the present publication, translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and printed and distributed when I had not in my possession the copy of the original which I have taken as my general standard, it is here given nearly in the same words: I have only made a few slight additions and alterations derived from a comparison of the two editions. Some of the notes inserted in the specimen I omit in this place, as they relate to matters already explained.—Hole remarks (in page 223), that this part of the Barber's story of his Fifth Brother is derived "from an Indian fable of the remotest antiquity ... found in the Heeto-pades of Veeshnoo-Sarma," in which a Brahman "inadvertently breaks his pottery ware ... with a walking-stick ... in the act of suppressing the outrageous jealousy of four beautiful but turbulent wives."