The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1 · Richard Francis Burton translation

Note 137
The Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince.

Arab. "Mamlúk" (plur. Mamálik) lit. a chattel; and in The Nights a white slave trained to arms. The "Mameluke Beys" of Egypt were locally called the "Ghuzz," I use the convenient word in its old popular sense;

'Tis sung, there's a valiant Mameluke In foreign lands ycleped (Sir Luke)- HUDIBRAS.

And hence, probably, Molière's "Mamamouchi"; and the modern French use "Mamaluc." See Savary's Letters, No. xl.

ITS PLACE IN THE BOOK

…er which he set out with the Sultan, whose heart burned in yearning for his city whence he had been absent a whole twelvemonth. They journeyed with an escort of Mamelukes[FN#137] carrying all manners of precious gifts and rarities, nor stinted they wayfaring day and night for a full year until they approached the Sultan's capital, and sent on messengers to announce their coming. Then the Wazir and the whole army came out to me…

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