To dream of a shield (henata) means the coming on of all sorts of misfortune, for this word, by a change of letters, gives koul afa, "all bad luck."
The sight of a fresh rose (ourarde) announces the arrival (oroud) of a pleasure to make the heart tremble with joy; a faded rose indicates deceitful news. It is the same with baldness of the temples, and similar things.[1]
The pessamine (yasmine) is formed of yas, signifying deception, or the happening of a thing contrary to your wish, and mine, which means untruth. The man, then, who sees a pessamine in his dream is to conclude that the deception, yas, in the name yasmine, is an untruth, and will thus be assured of the success of his enterprise.[2] However, the prognostications furnished by the jessamine have not the same character of certainty as those given by the rose. It differs greatly from this latter flower, inasmuch as the slightest breath of wind will upset it.
The sight of a saucepan (beurma) announces the conclusion (anuberame) of affairs in which one is engaged. Abou Djahel[3] (God's curse be upon him!) has added that such conclusion would take place during the night.
A jar (khabia) is the sign of turpitude (khebets) in every kind of affair, unless it is one that has fallen into a
- ↑ Some Mussulmans have the hairs plucked from the temples in order to look younger. This operation, which does not realize, in the eyes of strangers, the appearance of a reality, is considered by the author as being like the announcements of lying news.
- ↑ This play of words upon jessamine is taken from the work of Azzedine el Mocadesi, called, "The Birds and the Flowers."
- ↑ Abou Djahel, one of the foremost men of the Koreichites, was a sworn enemy of Mohammed and of his doctrine. His real name is Ameur ben Heichame, of the family of Moukhzoum. He received also the surname of Abou el Heukoum, the man gifted with wisdom.
