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Bev. N. F. Hoijer 177
offered the Bible to the Prince, saying: "This is my weapon. It is
the word of God Almighty to the children of men." The Prince took
the Bible, examined it and then bowing with reverence he touched
with it his forehead, mouth and chest. He handed over the Bible to
the man next him, and, repeating my words, wished him to show, in
the same way, reverence for the Holy Book. After that the Bible was
passed on from man to man in the whole audience. There was a silent
and reverent spirit prevailing among them, as solemn as it could be
in a church. The only sound which interrupted the silence was when
one man passed the Bible to another man, saying: "This is the word
of God Almighty to the children of men." When all the men had
passed through that ceremony of kissing the Book, the turn came to
the women. These were all lined up in a row and placed according
to their rank and the Prince handed the Bible to the oldest of the
women telling her to show the same signs of reverence, and to press
the Bible to her forehead, mouth and chest. The women went through
the same performance, while they all took up their seats on the bench
facing the couch which I had chosen for myself.
Kui’dish Hospitality
Now they began to look upon me as one descending from a higher
world. They began to ask among themselves: "Can he eat? What
do you think he can eat?" The Prince ordered the interpreter to ask
what I wanted to eat and I answered that I would like to have bread
and milk. They brought quickly some milk in a bowl of shining
metal and heated it over the fire which was burning in the hall and
then brought it to me, and some small round cakes.
When I began to eat, they came with their music, with flutes and
stringed instruments. They played some of their national tunes and
they imitated with their music the human voice. As long as I ate
they continued to play in that way. I ate slowly for I thought that
they would cease playing when I got through with my meal. But they
continued then to play another tune. Sometimes they wo.uld add more
force and increase the speed, sometimes the music would slow down,
so that it seemed like a still breeze sweeping over the forest, filled
with the song of birds. It was queer music. It seemed to me that
they wanted to play me to sleep. I did not know then that it was
indeed the custom with them, but later on I learned that with thig
clan of Kurds it is customary to play for a guest, that they honor, or
to sing of the deeds of their fathers until he goes to sleep, and tfl
continue their playing for a while, when he is asleep to sweeten his
dreams.
I was tired and I committed therefore my soul and body into God’s
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