10. A phrase of frequent occurrence in the Koran, meaning "your female slaves" or "the
women ye have captured in war."
11. Quoth he (Solomon), "O chiefs, which of you will bring me her throne?" (i.e. that of
Belkis, queen of Sheba) ......."I," said an Afrit of the Jinn, "will bring it thee, ere thou canst rise
from thy stead, for I am able thereto and faithful!"--Koran xxvii. 38, 39.
13. Kutheiyir ibn Ali Juma, a well-known poet of the seventh and eighth centuries at Medina.
He was celebrated for his love of Azzeh, in whose honour most of his poems were written. The
writer (or copyist) of this tale has committed an anachronism in introducing these verses, as
Kutheiyir was a contemporary of the Khalif Abdulmelik ben Merwan before whose time Sherkan
and his father (both imaginary characters) are stated( see supra, p. 1 {Vol. 2, FN#1}) to have
lived; but the whole narrative is full of the grossest anachronisms, too numerous, indeed, to
notice.
14. Jemil ben Mamer, another celebrated Arabian poet and lover, a friend and contemporary
of Kutheiyir.
15. A person who dies for love is esteemed a martyr by the Arabs.
16. I suspect these verses to have been introduced in error by some copyist. They appear
utterly meaningless in this context.
18. Apparently referring in jest to her speech to him see supra, p. 27 {see text, Vol. 2, after
FN#17}), "Thou art beaten in everything."
19. He likens the glance of her eye to the blade of a Yemen sword,--a comparison of frequent
occurrence in Arabic poetry.
20. Mehmil. A decorated framework or litter borne by a camel, sent as an emblem of royalty
with the caravan of pilgrims to Mecca, by way of honour to the occasion and to the sacred object
of the pilgrimage, much as great people send their empty carriages to attend the funeral of a
person for whose memory they wish to show their respect. The introduction of the Mehmil here is
another of the many anachronisms of the story, as the custom is said not to here come into use till
a much later period.
25. Apparently the Bedouin was angry with the merchant for praising the girl to her face and
perhaps also alarmed at finding that he had kidnapped a young lady of consequence, where he
only thought to have made prize of a pretty wench of humble condition and friendless.
31. One of the four great Muslim sects or schools of theology, taking its name from the Imam
es Shafi (see post, p. 131, note). {see Vol. 2 FN#89}
32. Second of the Abbasside Khalifs, A.H. 136-158.
33. The second Khalif after Mohammed (A.H. 13-23) and the most renowned for piety and
just government of all the borders of the office, except perhaps his descendant Omar ben
Abdulaziz (A.H. 99-102).
34. As a reward (in the next world) for good deeds.
36. The word rendered "good breeding" may also be translated "polite accomplishments " or
"mental discipline" and has a great number of other meanings.
37. Sixth Khalif and founder of the Ommiade dynasty (A.H. 41 60).
38. One of the most notable men of the day, chief of the great tribe of the Benou Temim. He
was a contemporary of the Prophet and was held in much esteem by Muawiyeh.
55. This passage apparently belongs to the previous account of Omar's death-bed; but I have
left it as it stands in the text, as it would be a hopeless task to endeavour to restore this chaos of
insipid anecdote and devotional commonplace to anything like symmetry.
56. Lit. with (or by) neither book (i.e. Koran) nor Sunneh (i.e. the Traditions of the Prophet).
57. Chief of the tribe of Temim and one of the most elegant orators of the eighth century.
58. Surnamed Eth Thekefi, Governor of Yemen and Irak: also a well known orator, but a
most cruel and fantastic tyrant.
59. Tenth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty (A.D. 723-742).
73. One of the contemporaries of Mohammed and a noted Traditionist (or repeater of the
sayings of the Prophet) at Cufa in the seventh century.
74. A noted Traditionist and expounder Of the Koran in the first century of the Muslim era.
He was a black and a native of Cufa.
75. Son of the martyr Hussein and grandson of the Khalif Ali.
76. A very eminent doctor of the law and Traditionist of the eighth century. He was a native
of Cufa and was regarded as one of the great exemplars of the true believers.
77. i.e. those who love and obey the precepts of the Koran.
78. i.e. Barefoot. A native of Merv and a famous ascetic of the eighth and ninth centuries.
79. Necessitating a fresh ablution, before the prayer can be ended.
96. "In Hell shall they (the unbelievers) burn, and ill shall be (their) stead."--Koran, xiv. 34.
97. Mohammed pretended that his coming had been foretold in the Gospels and that the
Christians had falsified the passage (John xvi. 7) promising the advent of the Comforter ({Greek
letters}) by substituting the latter word for <Greek letters>, glorious, renowned, praised, i.e.
Mohammed.
98. The second chapter of the Koran, beginning, "This is the Book, etc."
99. It appears by what follows that Afridoun, supposing the victory to be gained, returned to
Constantinople immediately after sending this message and left the command of the army to King
Herdoub.
106. This verse alludes to the garbled version of the miracle of Aaron's rod given in the Koran,
which attributes the act to Moses and makes the Egyptian sorcerers throw down ropes, to which
by their art they give the appearance of serpents.
113. These epithets are often applied by the Arabs, in a complimentary sense, to anyone who
works great havoc among his enemies by his prowess and cunning.
119. The Mohammedans have a legend that God gave David extraordinary skill in working iron
and making chain mail, that he might earn his living without drawing upon the public treasury.
"And we gave David a grace from us and softened for him iron (saying), 'Make thou coats of mail
and adjust the rings duly and deal rightly, for I look upon what ye do."' --Koran, xxxiv. 10.
120. This appears to be an allusion to the colours of the house of Abbas, which were black.
137. The word sac (leg), when used in the oblique case, as it would necessarily be here, makes
saki, i.e. cup-bearer. A play upon the double meaning is evidently intended.
138. In the East, bathers pay on leaving the bath.