PRIMITIVE WAYS IN ARABIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10138, 28 November 1918, Page 7

PRIMITIVE WAYS IN ARABIA

SUPERSTITION COMMON.

It appears that In certain parts of the Arabian Xtesort, life is as primitive as in Abraham's time. Sheep are still slain to seal a vow. The salt or bread covenant is observed* and when a man dies his tent is torn down and destroyed. Old name*, like Joseph, Moses, Alexander, etc., are still in common use among Arabs, although pronounced "Yusuf." “iuisa," and ‘Skaudoi.” To divorce his wife a. man may repeat the formula ,‘'Eat Tolek" three times; usually uttering it onoe makes the ■woman behave, and the repetition is not necessary. The evil-eye superstition is common, and the first injunction given a ‘fOTedgnar by lexpctienced Arabian travellers is that ho must not point at animals or persons in Arab settlements.

Arabs say that a man possessed of tins malign power can look at a bird llyinff in the air and it will drop dead; that if he chooses to cast his wicked spell on a camel it may «o lame, or a child may bo struck blind.