Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the EastHume-Griffith, M. E.
Philosophy
Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the East
Hume-Griffith, M. E.
Arabian Peninsula -- Social life and customs; Iran -- Social life and customs
"Then in my dream," continues the servant, carefully ignoring the
reiterated denial of the camel-driver, "I saw you glance at this
useless object in your hand and then place it inside your aba" (cloak).
"No, no," cries the driver, "I never picked it up."
"So if you will let me show you where it is, I can relieve you of
this worthless object."
After a little more parleying of this sort, the camel-driver
produces my husband's watch and chain, and receives in return a
small backsheesh. The servant, highly delighted with himself and his
sagacity, smiled as he pockets in imagination the promised reward of
five tomans (L1). The camel-driver confessed afterwards that he was
so taken aback at the idea of his deeds being revealed in a dream to
this man that he would not have kept the watch at any cost.
Needless to say the "dream" was only a faked one, manufactured to
work on the superstitious mind of the simple camel-driver.
In Mosul the chief of the Seyyids once told the doctor a story relating
to a remarkable dream. It was as follows. Two men once called on a
mullah to question him regarding a matter which had been troubling
them. The cause of their dispute was this. On going to their work
each day these men passed a ladder leaning against a wall. One of
the two always avoided going under lest it should fall and kill him;
while the other said, "No, I will not run from danger, for whatever
Allah has decreed must be. If it is written that I am to be killed
by the ladder, I shall be." So the two friends, after having spent
much time in arguing this knotty question, decided to lay the matter
before a mullah and leave the decision to him. The mullah listened
to them both, but told them that such a serious question needed
much thought. He appointed a day for them to return and hear his
verdict. After their departure the mullah fell into a sleep, and in
his sleep he dreamed. In the dream he beheld a beautiful boy, the
son of a king whom his soul loved exceedingly; then later he met a
stranger, who told him that he (the mullah) was to cause the death
of the boy he loved so much. The mullah, filled with indignation,
repudiated the idea, saying that he loved the boy too much to do
him any harm. "Nevertheless," said the stranger, "it must be, for
Allah has decreed that the boy is to meet his death through you, and
what is written is written." The old mullah returned to his house
troubled and sad at heart, but determined that he would do nothing
that could in any way bring disaster to the boy. Still dreaming,
the mullah received a summons to visit the young prince. Remembering
the words of the stranger, he took with him nothing that could in any
way injure the boy, contenting himself by taking with him one gift
only--an apple. The boy received the mullah in his beautiful island
home, and the two enjoyed some blissful hours of converse together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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