expression, or might even think it saucy. It is used much like our “Humph.” If a child is set a task or a lesson and wishes to say, “It is very hard,” he is very apt to slat the fingers of the hand together and exclaim, _E-e-ee_ with much the same force as _Yâ abbayeh_ above. _Thk_, a sort of suck with the tongue and teeth means, “No.” Sometimes it is joined with _Mâ fîsh_, “There is not,” or “I have nothing,” and the speaker may snap his thumb under the edge of his upper teeth in emphasis. _Thk_ is very often given with an upward toss of the chin to mean, “No.” _Hiss_ is used by a mother or older person to hush a child. It equals “Keep still” or “Enough of foolishness.” In beckoning children the hand is held about as high as and near the shoulder, the palm downwards and the fingers shutting back and forth to the palm while “Come, come” is said. To hold all the fingers together and the hand, palm upward, about the height of the hip, means a threat like “You’ll see.” Of curses[185] there is a very great variety, expressive of animosity,[186] disgust[187] and impatience.[188] Many of the formulæ are shortened until only the direction and object of the curse are left in the expression. So, should you hear some one say impetuously to another, “Your father,” “Your eyes,” “Your breast,” or “Your faith,” you might know that a curse was intended with these as the objects. The verb _la‛ana_, _yal‛anu_, which signifies cursing, is generally understood. The curses are sometimes very indirectly aimed at the victim, as, for instance, when a donkey driver cursed a stumbling donkey with _Abu jiddak_, literally, “Cursed be the father of your grandfather.” The curser may in this circular way of attack reach even himself without apparently minding the implication, as when a man driving donkeys along the road became angry at one of them and shouted, “May your owner go into the grave.” ----- ----- Colloquialisms and stories tend to pass into proverbs. The East is very rich in proverbial expressions, and the Arabic language has been used for the utterance of many thousands of them. The apt introduction and quotation of proverbs is considered an elegant accomplishment by conversationalists. Some of the proverbs are accompanied by explanatory stories telling how the proverb in each instance arose. Then there are expressions that are tending to the proverbial form. Some of these latter will be mentioned first. Moslems are accredited with the saying that the bobbing _ḥirdhôn_ (lizard) is praying. When three or more persons in one place are found to have the same name the people say, “There must be a treasure about.” Of the kind of young man slangily known among us as a _masher_ the Palestinian says, “He has a heavy shadow.”