The Scented Garden

70 The Shame of the Prodigal. derous Moor, who slays his guest with felon blow ? ” 5. Ass of the member of honey [Persian text]. So Mahbub’s expansion of the “ portmanteau ” text [Persian text] Khazk’asal. 6. Refers to a fable. An elephant had fallen into a pit, but managed to scramble out. Seeing an ass going in that direction, he kindly warned him. The ass disdainfully replied that he, being light, ran little danger. Ay ! said the elephant, but small and without an hand, how will thou escape if thou dost fall ? And in fact the ass fell, and perished misera- bly. [I think it far more likely that it refers to another fable, the following, told by Persians against Omar and Ayeshah who as the daughter of Abu Bekr is supposed by the Shiahs to have influ- enced Mohammed’s conduct for evil. There are numerous scandals regarding her. Yet the more decent Persian tells the story of Zuleikah (Poti- phar’s wife) and of Joseph. A certain dog meeting an ass, greeted him cheer- fully. “ Why this glee, brother dog ? ” “ Passing near a dunghill (probably Abubekr’s house is in- tended) I met a beautiful virgin named Ayeshah, who was as firm and as tight as it is impossible to believe.” The ass trots off, all on fire, but suddenly falls headlong into a deep pit. He is about to bear witness that there is no God but God, and Mo- hammed is his prophet (i.e. about to resign himself to death), when he is lifted out by a woman’s hand and set on solid earth again. “ O ass ! how dost thou dare awaken Ayeshah the promised wife of the Prophet of Allah ? ” “ O Ayeshah ! I met a cer- tain dog, who bore witness that thou wast tighter than it is possible to believe, the liar ! ” “ Verily, o ass, but Omar hath passed by since then.” Ed.] 7. The same phrase is used as in the story of this name in Alf Laylah wa Laylah. Possibly some