MAOULS,

Or Popular Romances of the Modern Arabs; extracted from a Collection entitled, “A Miscellany of French and Oriental Literature,” byJ. Augoub.

Now that thy stature, like the young shoot of a palm, is slender and graceful, grant me thy caresses. O my best beloved, let us make use of time as it flies! Close not against love the avenue to thy favour. Believe me, beauty is evanescent; its empire has never yet been prolonged for a mortal.

They have compared thee to the queen of the nightly firmament; but how greatly do they err in their language! Has the moon those beautiful black eyes, with their sparkling pupils? The rushes bend and sway before the gentlest breath of the zephyr; thou, who resemblest them by thy slight figure—thou seest all men bend before thee!

If the torment of my heart causes happiness to thine, torment me; for my happiness is bound up in thine,—if, indeed, thine is not far dearer to me than my own. If thou wishest to take my life—if the sacrifice of it is necessary to thee—take it, O thou who alone art my life, and incense not thyself against me!

What harm would it be, young beauty, if thou shouldest treat me with more justice? Thou wouldest cure my grievous malady by a remedy which would relieve me from the necessity of having recourse to the Canon of Avicene.[V]Whenever I contemplate thy beautiful eyebrows, I recognize in them the graceful contour of the houn;[W]and thy voice is sweeter to my ear than the sound of the harp and the cithern.[X]

When my best beloved passed by, the branch of the neighbouring willow was jealous of her delicate figure; the rose bent her head for shame when she saw the bright colour of her cheek; and I exclaimed,—O thou who beyond recovery hast captivated my soul, the glance of thine eye has opened a wound in my bosom which will not be cured to the end of my life!

I love, I love an adolescent, and my passion burns like a flame at the bottom of my heart. When love glided into my bosom, scarcely did the tender down shade the cheek of my lover. Oh, I love! and it is for thee, my well-beloved, that my tears flow; and I swear by Him who created love, that my heart has never known tenderness but for thee! I offer to thee my first flame.

When the night deepens its shadows, it is to imitate the blackness of thy curling locks; when the day shines in its purest splendour, it is to recall to mind the dazzling brightness of thy countenance: the exhalations of the aloes are less sweet than the perfume of thy breath; and the lover, enamoured of thy charms, shall pass his life in recounting thy praises.

My best-beloved comes forth, but her countenance is veiled; yet at sight of her all minds are bewildered. The slender branch in the Valley of Camels becomes jealous of her flexible and attractive form. Suddenly she raises her hand and removes the curious veil which concealed her, and the inhabitants of the land utter cries of surprise. Is it a flash of lightning, say they, which illuminates our dwellings? or have the Arabs lighted fires in the desert?

THE END.

FOOTNOTES:[A]According to Arab law, murder is compensated by money; and the sum is fixed according to circumstances.[B]This bottle was taken with all the rest into Egypt.[C]An Arabic expression implying extent of dominion.[D]A title of a Turkish officer, used in derision by the Bedouins.[E]Turban of ceremony, (Turkish.)[F]Destroyer of the Turks.[G]Every Bedouin accustoms his horse to some sign when it is to put out all its speed. He employs it only on pressing occasions, and never confides the secret even to his own son.[H]A pun not easy to translate:Serahmeans gone;Serhan, wolf.[I]When a Bedouin voluntarily gives up his horse to his adversary, he may neither kill him nor make him prisoner.[J]Ebn Sihoud, King of the Wahabees, is often called by this name.[K]This imaginary princess was no other than lady Hester Stanhope.[L]The ceremony is called thehasnat.[M]These chiefs were, Zarack Ebn Fahrer, chief of the tribe El Gioullan; Giarah Ebn Meghiel, chief of the tribe El Giahma; Ghaleb Ebn Ramdoun, chief of the tribe El Ballahiss; and Fares Ebn Nedged, chief of the tribe El Maslekher.[N]Female camels of the most beautiful species.[O]An equestrian exercise with sticks, called djerids, which are lanced like javelins.[P]The tribe El Krassa, whose chief was Zahaman Ebn Houad; the tribe El Mahlac, with its chief Ebn Habed; the tribe El Meraikhrat, its chief Roudan Ebn Abed; and the tribe El Zeker, its chief Matlac Ebn Fayhan.[Q]Fares Ebn Aggib, chief of the tribe El Bechakez, with five hundred tents; Cassan Ebn Unkban, chief of the tribe El Chiamssi, one thousand tents; Selame Ebn Nahssan, chief of the tribe El Fuaher, six hundred tents; Mehanna el Saneh, chief of the tribe El Salba, eight hundred tents.[R]The tribe of El Fedhan, composed of five thousand tents; that of El Sabha, four thousand tents; El Fekaka, one thousand five hundred; El Messahid, three thousand five hundred; El Salca, three thousand; finally, that of Benni Dehabb, five thousand.[S]The tribe of Beny Tay, composed of 4,000 tents; that of El Hamarnid, 1,500 tents; of El Daffir, 2,500 tents; of El Hegiager, 800 tents; and lastly, that of El Khresahel, 3,000.[T]At Maktal El Abed, we met two tribes, that of Berkaje, commanded by Sahdoun Ebn Wuali, 1300 tents strong, and that of Mahimen, commanded by Fahed Ebn Salche, of 300 tents. Crossing the Euphrates before Haiff, we concluded an alliance with Alayan Ebn Nadjed, chief of the tribe of Bouharba, which reckoned 500 tents.[U]Published by Abel Ledoux.[V]The celebrated treatise on medicine by Ebn Sina.[W]This Arabic letter is of a bent form.[X]A stringed instrument.

[A]According to Arab law, murder is compensated by money; and the sum is fixed according to circumstances.

[B]This bottle was taken with all the rest into Egypt.

[C]An Arabic expression implying extent of dominion.

[D]A title of a Turkish officer, used in derision by the Bedouins.

[E]Turban of ceremony, (Turkish.)

[F]Destroyer of the Turks.

[G]Every Bedouin accustoms his horse to some sign when it is to put out all its speed. He employs it only on pressing occasions, and never confides the secret even to his own son.

[H]A pun not easy to translate:Serahmeans gone;Serhan, wolf.

[I]When a Bedouin voluntarily gives up his horse to his adversary, he may neither kill him nor make him prisoner.

[J]Ebn Sihoud, King of the Wahabees, is often called by this name.

[K]This imaginary princess was no other than lady Hester Stanhope.

[L]The ceremony is called thehasnat.

[M]These chiefs were, Zarack Ebn Fahrer, chief of the tribe El Gioullan; Giarah Ebn Meghiel, chief of the tribe El Giahma; Ghaleb Ebn Ramdoun, chief of the tribe El Ballahiss; and Fares Ebn Nedged, chief of the tribe El Maslekher.

[N]Female camels of the most beautiful species.

[O]An equestrian exercise with sticks, called djerids, which are lanced like javelins.

[P]The tribe El Krassa, whose chief was Zahaman Ebn Houad; the tribe El Mahlac, with its chief Ebn Habed; the tribe El Meraikhrat, its chief Roudan Ebn Abed; and the tribe El Zeker, its chief Matlac Ebn Fayhan.

[Q]Fares Ebn Aggib, chief of the tribe El Bechakez, with five hundred tents; Cassan Ebn Unkban, chief of the tribe El Chiamssi, one thousand tents; Selame Ebn Nahssan, chief of the tribe El Fuaher, six hundred tents; Mehanna el Saneh, chief of the tribe El Salba, eight hundred tents.

[R]The tribe of El Fedhan, composed of five thousand tents; that of El Sabha, four thousand tents; El Fekaka, one thousand five hundred; El Messahid, three thousand five hundred; El Salca, three thousand; finally, that of Benni Dehabb, five thousand.

[S]The tribe of Beny Tay, composed of 4,000 tents; that of El Hamarnid, 1,500 tents; of El Daffir, 2,500 tents; of El Hegiager, 800 tents; and lastly, that of El Khresahel, 3,000.

[T]At Maktal El Abed, we met two tribes, that of Berkaje, commanded by Sahdoun Ebn Wuali, 1300 tents strong, and that of Mahimen, commanded by Fahed Ebn Salche, of 300 tents. Crossing the Euphrates before Haiff, we concluded an alliance with Alayan Ebn Nadjed, chief of the tribe of Bouharba, which reckoned 500 tents.

[U]Published by Abel Ledoux.

[V]The celebrated treatise on medicine by Ebn Sina.

[W]This Arabic letter is of a bent form.

[X]A stringed instrument.

Back to Index Next