The first meal of the day is not usually taken until the middle of the forenoon, and is a light one. The second one, at or after noon, may be heartier. The evening meal is the best. Meat is almost a luxury, the increase in its use denoting progress in prosperity. Almost any discriminating person will decide for the native peasant costume as more modest, graceful and artistic than the European styles. One feels disappointed and defrauded at sight of a villager togged in European trouserings. The village woman descends in the scale of attractiveness just so far as she submits to the fashion of Western dressmaking. Stockings are seldom worn by the country people when they are in vigorous health. At best the stocking is an unsanitary snare. Men generally wear the roomy shoe having buffalo rawhide from India for the soles and a red or brown goat-skin for the uppers. Women seldom wear shoes inside the village for fear of ridicule. When they are out in the rough places they wear the same kind of shoe as the men. The fully dressed _fellâḥ_, (peasant) has in his outfit the following articles: _Dîmâyeh_, or _ḳumbâz_, a long dress or tunic. _Shirîhah_, a girdle studded with the _razât_, which are ornaments like little silver buttons. _Ṣadrîyeh_, a vest. _Ṭuḳṣîreh_, a small blue jacket made of _jûkh_, a blue cloth. Sometimes a European jacket is worn or a sheepskin is used. _‛Abâh_ (colloquial, _‛abâyeh_), a homespun woolen overcoat, striped. _Ṣirmâyeh_, a shoe, heavy or light according to the season. _Leffeh_, a general name for the entire head-dress. The leffeh consists of the following parts: _Ṭuḳîyeh_, a cotton skull-cap. _Libbâd_, a skull-cap of woolen felt put on over the cotton one. _Ṭarbûsh_, a hat proper, usually a red fez-like head-covering, broad and flat, put on over the ṭuḳîyeh and libbâd. Scarfs are wound around the rim of the ṭarbûsh so as to make a very heavy border (a thin scarf helping to pad out a heavier one). _Mendîl_, a thin scarf used under a heavier one. _Maḥrameh_, a white heavy scarf. _Kefîyeh_, a yellow and fancy variety of scarf. In the leffeh or head-dress are tucked, for convenience in carrying, the following articles: _Mirât_, a mirror (a tiny glass). _Mishṭ_, a comb for the beard. _Maṣṣâṣat_, a cigarette holder. _Dukhân_, tobacco. _Khalḳat_ (_aṣfat_), a ring (yellow) for the thumb (bahim). _Khâtim_ (_fuḍat_), a seal[96] ring (silver) for the little finger (_khanaṣet_). _Dubleh_, a guard. All these small articles following are in or about the girdle or belt: _Ghâb_, a cartridge-belt. _Shibrîyeh_, a dirk carried in the belt. _Ṣifn_, tow. _Zinâreh_, a steel for igniting the tow in striking a light. _Ṣuwâneh_, a flint. _Mûs_, a clasp knife. _Zaradeh_, a chain to which the knife is attached. ----- -----