into the body of the page (vii. 112) without signs of citation in
red ink or other (iii. 406); and rarely we find it, as it should
be, in distichs divided by the normal conventional marks,
asterisks and similar separations. Sometimes it appears in a
column of hemistichs after the fashion of Europe (iv. III; iv..
232, etc.): here (v. 226) a quotation is huddled into a single
line; there (v. 242) four lines, written as monostichs, are
followed by two distichs in as many lines.

As regards the metrical part Dr. Steingass writes to me, "The
verses in Al-Hayfa and Yusuf, where not mere doggerel, are
spoiled by the spelling. I was rarely able to make out even the
metre and I think you have accomplished a feat by translating
them as you have done."

The language of the MS. is generally that of the Fellah and
notably so in sundry of the tales, such as, "The Goodwife of
Cairo and her four Gallants" (v. 444). Of this a few verbal and
phrasal instances will suffice. Adini = here am I (v. 198); Ahna
(passim, for nahnu) nakhaf = we fear; 'Alayki (for 'alayki) = on
thee; and generally the long vowel (-k ) for the short (-ki) in
the pronoun of the second person feminine; Antah (for ante) =
thou (vi. 96) and Antu (for antum) = you (iii. 351); Araha and
even aruha, ruhat and ruha (for raha) = he went (Vii. 74 and iv.
75) and Aruhu (for ruhu) = go ye (iv. 179); Bakarah * * * allazi
(for allati) = a cow (he) who, etc.; (see in this vol., p. 253)
and generally a fine and utter contempt for genders, e.g. Hum
(for hunna) masc. for fem. (iii. 91; iii. 146; and v. 233); Ta
'ali (for ta'al) fem. for masc. (vi. 96 et passim); Bihim (for
bi-him) = with them (v. 367); Bi-kam (for bi-kum) = with you