Note 94 — AL-MALIK AL-ZAHIR RUKN AL-DIN BIBARS AL-BUNDUKDARI AND THE SIXTEEN CAPTAINS OF POLICE.[1]

Arab. “Shayyan li ’lláh!” lit. = (Give me some) Thing for (the love of) Allah. The answer in Egypt is “Allah ya’tík:” = Allah will give it thee (not I), or, “Yaftah ’Allah,” = Allah open (to thee the door of subsistence): in Marocco “Sir fí hálik” (pron. Sirfhák) = Go about thy business. In all cities there is formula which suffices the asker; but the Ghashím (Johnny Raw) who ignores it, is pestered only the more by his protestations that “he left his purse at home,” etc.