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Lagèës of the sitting ratéb.
| 1°. | Lagèë asòë idan[1], without any special gestures. |
| 2°. | Lagèë sakinin, accompanied by the lagèë jaròë ("hand tune"), i.e. an elegant series of movements of the hands performed by all in perfect time and unison, punctuated by the snapping of the fingers. |
| 3°. | Lagèë baʾdō salam[2], accompanied by the lagèë ija bungkōïh ("tune of the folded kerchiefs"), in which each performer has before him a twisted kerchief which he gracefully manoeuvres in time with the chanting of his comrades. |
| 4°. | Lagèë minidarwin, accompanied by the lagèë ija lhōʾ ("tune of interwoven kerchiefs"). Each performer interlaces his kerchief with that of his neighbour; sometimes a chain of kerchiefs is thus formed. Later on they are disunited again and spread out in front of their several owners. |
| 5°. | Lagèë salala[3], accompanied by the lagèë ija baʾ takuë (tune of the kerchiefs on the neck). Here the kerchiefs are repeatedly drawn over the shoulders and round the throat. |
These five examples will suffice to give some notion of how much of the real rateb there is in this performance; it will be seen that we did not go too far in characterizing the latter as a caricature of the true ratéb, which is a chant in praise of God and his apostle. The "nonsense verses" to which these lagèës form the accompaniment are repeated over and over again, time after time, until the leading party has exhausted all the gymnastic exercises at its command in respect of that particular tune.
Nasib of this ratéb.As soon as the first ratéb duëʾ is finished an expert of the same party which has hitherto taken the lead in the performance, commences to "meunasib". The nasib of the ratéb sadati consists of a dialogue between the two parties, beginning with mutual greetings, after which it takes the form of question and answer. The questions are in outward appearance of a religious or philosophical nature, but as a matter of fact the nasib is as much a caricature of a learned discussion as the whole ratéb is a travesty of a service of prayer and praise. The players, however, as well as most of the audience, who have but little knowledge
