Note 1
Allaho A'alam, a deprecatory formula, used because the writer is going to indulge in a series of what may possibly be untruths.
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Notes to The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1 — Richard Francis Burton translation
698 notes in Richard Francis Burton translation. Follow a thought back to its place in the book.
698 notes
Note 2
The "Sons of Sásán" are the famous Sassanides whose dynasty ended with the Arabian Conquest (A.D. 641). "Island" Jazírah) in Arabic also means "Peninsula," and causes much confusio…
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Shahryár not Shahriyar (Persian) = "City-friend." The Bulak edition corrupts it to Shahrbáz (City-hawk), and the Breslau to Shahrbán or "Defender of the City," like Marz-ban=Warden…
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Galland writes "Vizier," a wretched frenchification of a mincing Turkish mispronunciation; Torrens, "Wuzeer" (Anglo-Indian and Gilchristian); Lane, "Wezeer"; (Egyptian or rather Ca…
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This three-days term (rest-day, drest-day and departure day) seems to be an instinct-made rule in hospitality. Among Moslems it is a Sunnat or practice of the Prophet.)
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i.e., I am sick at heart.
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Debauched women prefer negroes on account of the size of their parts. I measured one man in Somali-land who, when quiescent, numbered nearly six inches. This is a characteristic of…
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The very same words were lately spoken in England proving the eternal truth of The Nights which the ignorant call "downright lies."
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The Arab's Tue la!
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Arab. "Sayd wa kanas": the former usually applied to fishing; hence Sayda (Sidon) = fish-town. But noble Arabs (except the Caliph Al-Amin) do not fish; so here it means simply "spo…
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In the Mac. Edit. the negro is called "Mas'úd"; here he utters a kind of war-cry and plays upon the name, "Sa'ád, Sa'íd, Sa'úd," and "Mas'ud", all being derived from one root, "Sa'…
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The Arab. singular (whence the French "génie"), fem. Jinniyah; the Div and Rakshah of old Guebre-land and the "Rakshasa," or "Yaksha," of Hinduism. It would be interesting to trace…
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Arab. "Amsár" (cities): in Bul. Edit. "Amtár" (rains), as in Mac. Edit. So Mr. Payne (I., 5) translates: And when she flashes forth the lightning of her glance, She maketh eyes to …
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Not "A-frit," pronounced Aye-frit, as our poets have it. This variety of the Jinn, who, as will be shown, are divided into two races like mankind, is generally, but not always, a m…
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i.e., "I conjure thee by Allah;" the formula is technically called "Inshád."
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This introducing the name of Allah into an indecent tale is essentially Egyptian and Cairene. But see Boccaccio ii. 6, and vii. 9.
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So in the Mac. Edit.; in others "ninety." I prefer the greater number as exaggeration is a part of the humour. In the Hindu "Kathá Sárit Ságara" (Sea of the Streams of Story), the …
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The Joseph of the Koran, very different from him of Genesis. We shall meet him often enough in The Nights.
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"Iblis," vulgarly written "Eblis," from a root meaning The Despairer, with a suspicious likeness to Diabolos; possibly from "Balas," a profligate. Some translate it The Calumniator…
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A similar tale is still told at Akká (St. John d'Acre) concerning the terrible "butcher"—Jazzár (Djezzar) Pasha. One can hardly pity women who are fools enough to run such risks. A…
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"Shahrázád" (Persian) = City-freer, in the older version Scheherazade (probably both from Shirzád=lion-born). "Dunyázád"=World-freer. The Bres. Edit. corrupts theformer to Sháhrzád…
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Probably she proposed to "Judith" the King. These learned and clever young ladies are very dangerous in the East.
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In Egypt, etc., the bull takes the place of the Western ox. The Arab. word is "Taur" (Thaur, Saur); in old Persian "Tora" and Lat. "Taurus," a venerable remnant of the days before …
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Arab. "Abú Yakzán" = the Wakener, because the ass brays at dawn.
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