Unknown

“ There was once, in the city of Baghdad, a man, [by name El Merouzi,] [1] who was a sharper and plagued [2] the folk with his knavish tricks, and he was renowned in all quarters [for roguery] . [He went out one day] , carrying a load of sheep’s dung, and took an oath that he would not return to his lodging till he had sold it at the price of raisins. Now there was in another city a second sharper, [by name Er Razi,] [3] one of its people, who [went out the same day] , bearing a load of goat’s dung, which he had sworn that he would not sell but at the price of dried figs. ”

“ When the dead man found himself alone, he sprang up, as he were a Satan, and donning the washer’s clothes, [10] took the bowls and water-can and wrapped them up in the napkins. Then be took his shroud under his arm and went out. The doorkeepers thought that he was the washer and said to him, ‘Hast thou made an end of the washing, so we may tell the Amir?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the sharper and made off to his lodging, where he found El Merouzi soliciting his wife and saying to her, ‘Nay, by thy life, thou wilt never again look upon his face ”

“ There was, therefore, nothing improbable in Er Razi’s boast that he could abide two days in the tomb. ↑ Nawous, a sort of overground well or turricle of masonry, surmounted by an iron grating, on which the Gueber’s body is placed for devoration by the birds. ↑ “Munkir [Munker] and Nakir [Nekir] are the two angels that preside at ‘the examination of the tomb.’ They visit a man in his grave directly after he has been buried and examine him concerning his faith; if he acknowledge that there is but one God and that Mohammed is His prophet [apostle] , they suffer him to rest in peace ”

“ In the case of a man of wealth, more costly perfumes (such as musk, aloes and ambergris) are used. ↑ All the ablutions prescribed by the Mohammedan ritual are avoided by the occurrence, during the process, of any cause of ceremonial impurity (such as the mentioned in the text) and must be recommenced. ”

“ So his men took him up and carrying him to the prefecture, fetched grave-diggers, who dug him a grave. Then they bought him a shroud and perfumes [7] and fetched an old man of the quarter, to wash him. So he recited over him [the appointed prayers and portions of the Koran] and laying him on the bench, washed him and shrouded him. After he had shrouded him, he voided; [8] so he renewed the washing and went away to make his ablutions, [9] whilst all the folk departed, likewise, to make the [obligatory] ablution, previously to the funeral. ”