[FN#177] Being the only son he had a voice in the disposal of his sister.  The mother was the Kabirah = head of the household, in Marocco Al-Sidah = Madame mere; but she could not interfere single-handed in affairs concerning the family.  See Pilgrimage, vol. iii. 198.  Throughout Al-Islam in default of a father the eldest brother gives away the sisters, and if there be no brother this is done by the nearest male relation on the “sword” side.  The mother has no authority in such matters nor indeed has anyone on the “spindle” side.

[FN#178] Alluding to the Wali and his men.

[FN#179] Arab.  “Kunyah” (the pop. mispronunciation of “Kinyah”) is not used here with strict correctness.  It is a fore-name or bye-name generally taken from the favourite son, Abu (father of) being prefixed.  When names are written in full it begins the string, e.g., Abu Mohammed (fore-name), Kasim (true name), ibn Ali (father’s name), ibn Mohammed (grandfather’s), ibn Osman (great-grandfather), Al-Hariri (= the Silkman from the craft of the family), Al-Basri (of Bassorah).  There is also the “Lakab” (sobriquet), e.g.  Al-Bundukani or Badi’u’l-Zaman (Rarity of the Age), which may be placed either before or after the “Kunyah” when the latter is used alone.  Chenery (Al-Hariri, p.315) confines the “Kunyah” to fore-names beginning with Abu; but it also applies to those formed with Umm (mother), Ibn (son), Bint (daughter), Akh (brother) and Ukht (sister).  See vol. iv. 287.  It is considered friendly and graceful to address a Moslem by this bye-name. -Gaudent praenomine molles Auriculae.

[FN#180] In text “Ya Kawaki,” which M. Houdas translates “O piailleur,” remarking that here it would be = poule mouillee.

[FN#181] “’Alakah kharijah” = an extraordinary drubbing.

[FN#182] In text “Ij’alni fi kll,” the latter word being probably, as M. Houdas suggests, a clerical error for “Kal-a” or “Kilaa” = safety, protection.

[FN#183] I am surprised that so learned and practical an Arabist as the Baron de Slane in his Fr. translation of Ibn Khaldun should render le surnom d’Er-Rechid (le prudent), for “The Rightly Directed,” the Orthodox (vol. ii. 237), when (ibid. p. 259) he properly translates “Al-Khulafa al-rashidin” by Les Califes qui marchent dans la voie droite.

[FN#184] MSS. pp. 476-504.  This tale is laid down on the same lines as “Abu al-Husn and his Slave-girl Tawaddud,” vol. vi. 189.  It is carefully avoided by Scott, C. de Perceval, Gauttier, etc.

[FN#185] Lit. an interpreter woman; the word is the fem. of Tarjuman, a dragoman whom Mr. Curtis calls a Drag o’ men; see vol. i. 100.  It has changed wonderfully on its way from its “Semitic” home to Europe which has naturalised it as Drogman, Truchman and Dolmetsch.

[FN#186] For this word of many senses, see vols. i. 231; ix. 221.  M. Caussin de Perceval (viii. 16), quoting d’Herbelot (s.v.), notes that the Abbasides thus entitled the chief guardian of the Harem.