Note 216 — ALAEDDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. (continued 3)

In the text ضامه evidently = “(jeu de) dames” (supposed to have been invented in Paris during the days of the Regency: see Littré); and, although in certain Eastern places now popular, a term of European origin. It is not in Galland. According to Ibn Khallikan (iii. 69) “Nard” = tables, arose with King Ardashír son of Babuk, and was therefore called Nardashír (Nard Ardashír?). He designed it as an image of the world and its people, so the board had twelve squares to represent the months; the thirty pieces or men represented the days and the dice were the emblems of Fate and Lot.