e. The Seven Sleepers.
[FN#3] i.e. The birds of prey.
[FN#4] "O thou of the little stronghold." A sobriquet popularly
bestowed on the fox, even as we call him "Reynard."
[FN#5] These verses are full of plays upon words, which it is
impossible to render in a translation.
[FN#6] i.e. blood, like wine in colour.
[FN#7] The face.
[FN#8] The teeth.
[FN#9] The wine-cup.
[FN#10] Alluding to the Eastern practice of dying the hands with
henna in concentric bands.
[FN#11] The lips, likened to the plum of the jujube-tree.
[FN#12] The teeth.
[FN#13] A well-known metaphor for the brilliant whiteness of the
face shining through the black hair.
[FN#14] The lips.
[FN#15] The teeth.
[FN#16] Mejnoun, the well-known lover of Eastern romance.
[FN#17] These verses apparently relate to Aboulhusn, but it is
possible that they may be meant to refer to Shemsennehar, as the
masculine is constantly used for the feminine in Oriental love-
poetry.
[FN#18] As that of a martyr. See Vol. II. p. 25, note 2. {Vol. 2,
FN#15}
[FN#19] Two fallen angels appointed to tempt men by teaching them
the art of magic.
[FN#20] An idol or idols of the Arabs before Mohammed.
[FN#21] The browlocks, from their shape, are commonly likened by
Eastern poets to scorpions.
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