Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/139

 lous first victories of the Moslem Arabs, which are held by Mohamedans to be a proof of God'sdivine guidance of His true believers.

Pace 44. " In some far dirra."'—The word " dirra" is used for the district occupied by each tribe for its pasturing, and within which it remains except when at war.

"< The wolf is not as the lon in the manner of its seizing." —This would seem to mean that the wolf (or possibly the jackal is here intended) does not wander far for its prey as the lion does. Abu Zeyd would be found nearer home.

Pace 46. " Nor is there blood between us."—The Arabs never slay a captured enemy except in payment of a debt of blood.

Pace 47. " Know, O lady, that I am of the race of the Finns. Our people are indeed of the Muslims."—Abu Zeyd pretends that he is an Afrit or Jinn because he fears Alia, there being " blood" between him and the Agheylat. The Jinns are accounted Moslems, that is true worshippers of the one God, though not men. Berkhan is their king, and Shemhurish and Tayar are of their princes.

" Stretch forth thy hand that we may make a covenant together." — This is the " Khuwa," or covenant of brotherhood, taken between men of different tribes, and precluding them from fighting against or injuring each other, even if there be "blood" between the tribes. It is interesting to find the oath taken here between a man and a woman. It is identical, doubtless, with the covenants recorded in several passages of the Old Testament.

Pace 48. "' And when Alia heard this word it deepened her regard for him." —That he was so modest a lover.

Pace 49. "' The Shohba," i.e., the grey.

Pace 51. " In Sham."—lIn Syria.

Pace 52. " And I placed the veil between us, and we held fast by the girdle."—The Arabian oath of brotherhood is taken, the two persons sitting on the ground. They grasp each other's girdle with the left hand, raising the right hand, and pronouncing the name of God. The meaning of the veil is not clear, and perhaps the better reading would be "and I set her veil aside."

Pace 53. " With me are her hobble? keys.'—All mares of value are kept hobbled with iron fetters in the desert to prevent theft.