Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the East — David Hume — John Shaqi
Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the East
David Hume · en
The next night the change was accomplished, and in the morning the
people were all surprised to see dogs where the night before there
had been jackals. However, they did not object very much. At the end
of the three nights, the jackals came to the gates of the city and
demanded admission, longing to return to their own haunts and homes,
having found three days in the desert quite enough, there being no
comparison between the comforts of the town and the dreariness and
cold of the outside life. The dogs appreciated the change so much
that they answered, "No, thank you, we prefer to stay where we are,
and do not wish ever to return to the desert." So the poor jackals
saw that they had been fooled, and went away sad and sorrowful, and
every night since then have come howling for admission to the gates,
and on the dogs answering "No," they go away wailing. And that is
the reason why every night we can hear the howling and wailing of
these disappointed creatures. And they will probably go on howling
and wailing till the end of time, for the dogs are never likely to
wish to return to the desert life.
Such is the legend of the jackals and the dogs of Kerman.
CHAPTER III
PERSIAN INDUSTRIES
Carpet-making--How to tell a good carpet--How
to make a carpet--The cry of the children--Shawl
manufactures--Calico-printing--Brass-work--Agricultural
industries--Water disputes--Kanats--Poppy crops--Wheat and
corn--Tobacco-growing.
Saying in Persia--"One plum gets colour by looking at another."
"Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers,
Ere the sorrow comes with years;
They are leaning their young heads against their mothers,
And that cannot stop their tears;
... the child's sob in the silence curses deeper
Than the strong man in his wrath."
E. B. Browning.
The subject of the industries of Persia is such an extensive one that
I cannot even attempt to discuss it here at any great length. I only
wish to describe a few of the manufactures and industries which came
under our notice while in Persia.
By far the most interesting of them all, to my mind, are the carpet
manufactories to be found in many parts. Very few Europeans live for
any length of time in Persia or other carpet-manufacturing countries
without being affected by the carpet craze. They may try to fight
against it, but they are almost sure to succumb, sooner or later!