Koran xxxiii. 38; this concludes a “revelation” concerning the divorce and marriage to Mohammed of the wife of his adopted son Zayd. Such union, superstitiously held incestuous by all Arabs, was a terrible scandal to the rising Faith, and could be abated only by the “Commandment of Allah.” It is hard to believe that a man could act honestly after such fashion; but we have seen in our day a statesman famed for sincerity and uprightness honestly doing things the most dishonest possible. Zayd and Abu Lahab (chap. cxi. i.) are the only contemporaries of Mohammed named in the Koran. Footnote 352: _i.e._ darkened behind him. Footnote 353: Here we have again, as so common in Arab romances, the expedition of a modified Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Footnote 354: Arab. “Arzi-há” = in its earth, its outlying suburbs. Footnote 355: The king’s own tribe. Footnote 356: _i.e._ he was always “spoiling for a fight.” Footnote 357: In the text the two last sentences are spoken by Amir and the story-teller suddenly resumes the third person. Footnote 358: Mr. Payne translates this “And God defend the right” (of plunder according to the Arabs). Footnote 359: Arab. “Lilláhi darruk”; see vol. iv. 20. Captain Lockett (p. 28) justly remarks that “it is a sort of encomiastic exclamation of frequent occurrence in Arabic and much easier to comprehend than translate.” Darra signifies flowing freely (as milk from the udder) and was metaphorically transferred to bounty and to indoles or natural capacity. Thus the phrase means “your flow of milk is by or through Allah,” _i.e._, of unusual abundance. Footnote 360: The words are euphemistic: we should say “comest thou to our succour.” Footnote 361: _i.e._ If his friend the Devil be overstrong for thee, flee him rather than be slain; as He who fights and runs away Shall live to fight another day. Footnote 362: _i.e._ I look to Allah for aid (and keep my powder dry). Footnote 363: _i.e._ to the next world. Footnote 364: This falling backwards in laughter commonly occurs during the earlier tales; it is, however, very rare amongst the Badawin. Footnote 365: _i.e._ as he were a flying Jinni, swooping down and pouncing falcon-like upon a mortal from the upper air. Footnote 366: This may be (reading Imraan = man, for Amran = matter) “a masterful man”; but I can hardly accept it. Footnote 367: Arab. “Bundukí,” the adj. of Bunduk, which the Moslems evidently learned from Slav sources; Venedik being the Dalmatian corruption of Venezia. See Dubrovenedik in vol. ii. 219. Footnote 368: _i.e._ the castle’s square. Footnote 369: In sign of quitting possession. Chess in Europe is rarely played for money, with the exception of public matches: this, however, is not the case amongst Easterns, who are also for the most part as tricky as an old lady at cribbage rightly named.