Note 578
Arab. "Birkat al-Habash," a tank formerly existing in Southern Cairo: Galland (Night 128) says "en remontant vers l'Ethiopie."
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Notes to The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1 — Page 25
698 notes in Richard Francis Burton translation. Follow a thought back to its place in the book.
698 notes
Note 579
The Bres. Edit. (ii., 190), from which I borrow this description, here alludes to the well-known Island, Al-Rauzah (Rodah) = The Garden.
Read the noteNote 580
Arab. "Laylat al-Wafá," the night of the completion or abundance of the Nile (-flood), usually between August 6th and 16th, when the government proclaims that the Nilometer shows a…
Read the noteNote 581
i.e., admiration will be complete.
Read the noteNote 582
Arab. "Sáhil Masr" (Misr): hence I suppose Galland's villes maritimes.
Read the noteNote 583
A favourite simile, suggested by the broken glitter and shimmer of the stream under the level rays and the breeze of eventide.
Read the noteNote 584
Arab. "Halab," derived by Moslems from "He (Abraham) milked (halaba) the white and dun cow." But the name of the city occurs in the Cuneiforms as Halbun or Khalbun, and the classic…
Read the noteNote 585
Arab. "Ká'ah," usually a saloon; but also applied to a fine house here and elsewhere in The Nights.
Read the noteNote 586
Arab. "Ghamz" = winking, signing with the eye which, amongst Moslems, is not held "vulgar."
Read the noteNote 587
Arab. "Kamís" from low Lat. "Camicia," first found in St. Jerome: — "Solent militantes habere lineas, quas Camicias vocant." Our shirt, chemise, chemisette, etc., was unknown to the…
Read the noteNote 588
Arab. "Narjís." The Arabs borrowed nothing, but the Persians much, from Greek Mythology. Hence the eye of Narcissus, an idea hardly suggested by the look of the daffodil (or asphod…
Read the noteNote 589
In Egypt there are neither bedsteads nor bedrooms: the carpets and mattresses, pillows and cushions (sheets being unknown), are spread out when wanted, and during the day are put i…
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The women of Damascus have always been famed for the sanguinary jealousy with which European story-books and novels credit the "Spanish lady." The men were as celebrated for intole…
Read the noteNote 591
Arab. "Rukhám," properly = alabaster and "Marmar" = marble; but the two are often confounded.
Read the noteNote 592
He was ceremonially impure after touching a corpse.
Read the noteNote 593
The phrase is perfectly appropriate: Cairo without "her Nile" would be nothing.
Read the noteNote 594
"The market was hot" say the Hindustanis. This would begin between 7 and 8 a.m.
Read the noteNote 595
Arab. Al-Faranj, Europeans generally. It is derived from "Gens Francorum," and dates from Crusading days when the French played the leading part. Hence the Lingua Franca, the Levan…
Read the noteNote 596
A process familiar to European surgery of the same date.
Read the noteNote 597
In sign of disappointment, regret, vexation; a gesture still common amongst Moslems and corresponding in significance to a certain extent with our stamping, wringing the hands and …
Read the noteNote 598
This is no unmerited scandal. The Cairenes, especially the feminine half (for reasons elsewhere given), have always been held exceedingly debauched. Even the modest Lane gives a "s…
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So that he might not have to do with three sisters-german. Moreover amongst Moslems a girl's conduct is presaged by that of her mother; and if one sister go wrong, the other is exp…
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In sign of dissent; as opposed to nodding the head which signifies assent. These are two items, apparently instinctive and universal, of man's gesture-language which has been so hi…
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This "Futur" is the real "breakfast" of the East, the "Chhoti házri" (petit déjeûner) of India, a bit of bread, a cup of coffee or tea and a pipe on rising. In the text, however, i…
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