‘efreet: a powerful spirit
Emshi besselema: a farewell salutation
eucha: suppertime
eulam: post meridian
fantasia: an exhibition of horsemanship and weapons skills
fatta: a dish of eggs and carrots
fedjeur: before sunrise
feisha: an amulet or charm
ghaddar: a monster who lures men and tortures them to death
ghul: a monster that feeds on human flesh. Ghuls may take any human form, but they can always be
distinguished by their tracks, which are the cloven hooves of an ass
girba: a waterskin; four usually carried on each camel of a caravan
goum: a light horseman
haik: the combined head cloth and face mask worn in the desert
harem: “the forbidden,” the wives and concubines of a man or the dwelling places allotted to them
hauz: artificial pond
Hazrat: holy
henna: a thorn-shrub and the reddish stain made from it
houri: a beautiful and seductive woman
Imam: priest
jihad: holy war
kafir: unbeliever
Kasbah: a fortress or castle
kavir: salt desert
khurjin: saddlebags
kohl: a preparation of soot used by women to darken their eyes
madrasah: a holy place of learning
Makhol: Right! (exclamation)
mamaluks: originally white slaves; warriors
marabout: a holy man
mehara: a highly bred racing camel
mehari: a plural of mehara
mehariste: a rider of a mehara
mogreb: nightfall
nesnas: a legendary, fearsome monster that takes the form of a man divided in half vertically, with half a face, one arm, one leg, and so on
palanquin: a curtained litter on poles, carried by hand
pantalons: loose, billowing pants worn by men
paranja: a woman’s loose dress
pasha: title of rank
qarakurt: “black worm,” a large species of deadly spider
quaita: a reed instrument
qumiz: fermented mare’s milk
rabat-bashi: innkeeper
saksul: a tree that grows in the desert
salaam: an obeisance, a low bow with the hand on the forehead
salaam aleikum!: Greeting to you
saluka: a swift hunting dog
satsol: a desert-growing tree
seraglio: the quarters of the women of the harem
Sheykh: the chief of a tribe or clan
shir: lion
shishlick: strips of meat grilled on a skewer
sidi: lord, sir
sirocco: the south wind, a windstorm from the south
souk: marketplace, bazaar
spahi: native cavalryman
Sultan: king
Sultana: wife of a Sultan, queen
surnai: a traditional folk reed instrument, generally conical and made of wood
tamarisk: a graceful evergreen shrub or small tree with feathery branches and minute scalelike leaves
tambour: similar to a tambourine
tel: a hill
tuman: money
wadi: river or stream
wazir: an adviser to royalty
yurt: semipermanent tent
Table of Contents
The Book of the Immortals 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
The Book of the Zhakrin 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
The Book of Quar 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
The Book of Zhakrin 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
The Book of the Immortals 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
The Book of Quar 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
The Book of Astafas
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
The Book of Akhran
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Glossary