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.
_i.e._ a weaner, a name of good omen for a girl-child: see vol. vi. 145. The Hindi translator, Totárám Shayyán, calls her Hamídah = the Praiseworthy.
Arab. Kirámát: see vols. ii. 237; iv. 45. The Necromancer clearly smells a rat holding with Diderot:—
De par le Roi! Defense à Dieu De faire miracle en ce lieu;
and the stage properties afterwards found with the holy woman, such as the gallipot of colouring ointment, justify his suspicion.
“’Ajáib” plur. of “’Ajíb,” a common exclamation amongst the populace. It is used in Persian as well as in Arabic.
Evidently _la force de l’imagination_, of which a curious illustration was given in Paris during the debauched days of the Second Empire. Before a highly “fashionable” assembly of men appeared a youth in fleshings who sat down upon a stool, bared his pudenda and closed his eyes when, by “force of fancy,” erection and emission took place. But presently it was suspected and proved that the stool was hollow and admitted from below a hand whose titillating fingers explained the phenomenon.
Moslems are curious about sleeping postures and the popular saying is:—Lying upon the right side is proper to Kings, upon the left to Sages; to sleep supine is the position of Allah’s Saints and prone upon the belly is peculiar to the Devils.
This “’Asá,” a staff five to six feet long, is one of the properties of Moslem Saints and reverends who, imitating that furious old Puritan, Caliph Omar, make and are allowed to make a pretty liberal distribution of its caresses.
Arab. “Sulúk” a Sufistical expression, the road to salvation, &c.
In the H. V. her diet consisted of dry bread and fruits.