29
‘O youth, this chamber befitteth thee.’ Ibrahim pulled out two dinars and gave them to him, saying, ‘Take these as key-money.’[1] And the porter took them and blessed him.
Then Ibrahim sent the sailor back to the ship and entered the chamber, where the porter abode with him and served him, saying, ‘O my lord, thy coming hath brought us joy.’ Ibrahim gave him a dinar, saying, ‘Buy us bread and meat and wine and sweetmeats with this.’ So the porter went to the market and buying ten dirhems’ worth of victual, brought it back to Ibrahim and gave him the other ten dirhems. But he said to him, ‘Spend them on thyself;’ whereat the porter rejoiced mightily. Then he ate a cake of bread, with a little seasoning,[2] and gave the rest to the porter, saying, ‘Carry this to the people of thy household.’ So the porter carried it to his family and said to them, ‘Methinketh there is not on the face of the earth a more generous than the young man who is come to lodge with us this day, nor yet a pleasanter than he. If he abide with us, we shall grow rich.’
Then he returned to Ibrahim and found him weeping; so he sat down and began to rub[3] his feet and kiss them, saying, ‘O my lord, why weepest thou? May God not make thee weep!’ ‘O uncle,’ said Ibrahim, ‘I have a mind to drink with thee this night.’ And the porter answered, ‘I hear and obey.’ So he gave him ten dinars, saying, ‘Buy us fruit and wine and dessert,[4] and flowers
- ↑ A gratuity given to the porter, on taking possession of a room or house. Cf. the French denier à Dieu, given to the concierge on like occasions.
- ↑ The Arabs apply the word udm (here translated “seasoning”), in the same sense as the Scotch word “kitchen,” to anything savoury eaten with bread or rice.
- ↑ Lit. to knead or shampoo (kebes).
- ↑ i.e. dried fruits (as opposed to fresh) and confections.
