Page:Folk-lore of the Holy Land.djvu/269

these flatly refused to come until a whole day’s holiday had been given them in which to discuss the matter. This was granted, and the next day thousands of camels assembled on the plain beyond the gardens of the city. The grunting, groaning, gurgling, snuffing, puffing, wheezing made a volume of noise that was heard at Mazarib. The debate was long and angry, but by dark they had come to a decision, which their sheykh was to communicate to Haj Ahmad.

This sheykh of the camels was so huge that he looked like a mountain moving. Hair hung from his sides like the tassels from a pair of saddle-bags. At every step he raised a cloud of dust that darkened the air, and his foot left a print as large as a knead- ing-trough.t All who passed him _ exclaimed, ‘“*Mashallah! Praised be the Creator!” at the same time spitting to right and left against the evil eye. When this beast arrived before the house of Haj Ahmad, he proved too big for the doorway. He was asked to give his message through the window. But, as a deputation from the most noble of all animals, he was indignant at the suggestion, and threatened to go away again. The friends of Haj Ahmad then besought him to have patience, while they pulled down one wall of the house. At last the camel came to the deathbed of his master, and, kneeling down, pronounced :— ““Q Haj Ahmad, be at rest, the camels forgive 1 Circular wooden dishes are used as kneading-troughs by the Syrian fellahin,