No. 9
He lived at free quarters where he chose (on Christian villagers mostly) and paraded the streets in a flowing purple robe with a green turban, which indicated by its folds and pattern whether the wearer was descended from the Prophet by the male or female line.
He was hated by all creeds maybe, but he was feared by all notwithstanding; by Moslems for his supposed spiritual rank, by Christians for his undoubted worldly power. Woe to the Christian dog who presumed to shirk getting off his horse and standing at the salute when the Seyyid rode by; it was an unmerited favour that he should be allowed to ride a horse at all!
Of course, there are gibes against the clan in plenty: for the more grossly superstitious a man is, the more impossible he finds it to keep his tongue off the Church which nevertheless he dares not disobey. When all else is bound, it is hard if speech is not free!
Thus we are told how Khoja Nazr-ed-din was sent out by his wife one day to buy egg-plants for dinner.
“Don’t know what they are like,” said the Khoja.
“Mudhead,” said his wife, “there are lots in the market—fat purple things with green heads.”
“Oh, I know then,” said the khoja; and he came back with a Seyyid in full robes.
“Here’s the egg-plant, wife. What shall I do with it?” he demanded.
“Rip it open and cut off its head,” came the voice from the kitchen, “and then put it in the pot.”