Arab. "Azím": translators do not seem to know that this word in The Nights often bears its Egyptian and slang sense, somewhat equivalent to our "deuced" or "mighty" or "awfully fine." Footnote 343: This is a very serious thing amongst Moslems and scrupulous men often make great sacrifices to avoid taking an oath. Footnote 344: We should say "into the noose." Footnote 345: The man had fallen in love with her and determined to mark her so that she might be his. Footnote 346: Arab. "Dajlah," in which we find the Heb. Hid-dekel. Footnote 347: Such an execution would be contrary to Moslem law: but people would look leniently upon the peccadillo of beheading or sacking a faithless wife. Moreover the youth was of the blood royal and _A quoi bon être prince?_ as was said by a boy of viceroyal family in Egypt to his tutor who reproached him for unnecessarily shooting down a poor old man. Footnote 348: Arab. "Shirk," partnership, evening or associating gods with God; polytheism: especially levelled at the Hindu triadism, Guebre dualism and Christian Trinitarianism. Footnote 349: Arab. "Shatm"=abuse, generally couched in foulest language with especial reference to the privy parts of female relatives. Footnote 350: When a woman is bastinadoed in the East they leave her some portion of dress and pour over her sundry buckets of water for a delicate consideration. When the hands are beaten they are passed through holes in the curtain separating the sufferer from mankind, and made fast to a "falakah" or pole. Footnote 351: Arab. "Khalifah," Caliph. The word is also used for the successor of a Santon or holy man. Footnote 352: Arab. "Sár;" here the Koranic word for carrying out the venerable and undying _lex talionis_, the original basis of all criminal jurisprudence. Its main fault is that justice repeats the offence. Footnote 353: Both these sons of Harun became Caliphs, as we shall see in The Nights. _THE TALE OF THE THREE APPLES._ They relate, O King of the age and lord of the time and of these days, that the Caliph Harun al-Rashid summoned his Wazir Ja'afar one night and said to him, "I desire to go down into the city and question the common folk concerning the conduct of those charged with its governance; and those of whom they complain we will depose from office and those whom they commend we will promote." Quoth Ja'afar, "Hearkening and obedience!" So the Caliph went down with Ja'afar and Eunuch Masrur to the town and walked about the streets and markets and, as they were threading a narrow alley, they came upon a very old man with a fishing-net and crate to carry small fish on his head, and in his hand a staff; and, as he walked at a leisurely pace, he repeated these lines:—