in what may be termed the lower strata of Oriental fiction, humorous and witty stories, characteristic of the different peoples amongst whom they originated, which, for the most part, have not yet been appropriated by the European compilers of books of facetiae, and a selection of such jests—­choice specimens of Oriental Wit and Humour—­gleaned from a great variety of sources, will, I trust, amuse readers in general, and lovers of funny anecdotes in particular.

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To begin, then—­place aux dames!  In most Asiatic countries the ladies are at a sad discount in the estimation of their lords and masters, however much the latter may expatiate on their personal charms, and in Eastern jests this is abundantly shown.  For instance, a Persian poet, through the importunity of his friends, had married an old and very ugly woman, who turned out also of a very bad temper, and they had constant quarrels.  Once, in a dispute, the poet made some comparisons between his aged wife and himself and between Night and Day.  “Cease your nonsense,” said she; “night and day were created long before us.”  “Hold a little,” said the husband.  “I know they were created long before me, but whether before you, admits of great doubt!” Again, a Persian married, and, as is customary with Muslims, on the marriage night saw his bride’s face for the first time, when she proved to be very ugly—­perhaps “plain-looking” were the more respectful expression.  A few days after the nuptials, she said to him:  “My life! as you have many relatives, I wish you would inform me before which of them I may unveil.” (Women of rank in Muslim countries appear unveiled only before very near relations.) “My soul!” responded the husband, “if thou wilt but conceal thy face from me, I care not to whom thou showest it.”  And there is a grim sort of humour in the story of the poor Arab whose wife was going on a visit of condolence, when he said to her:  “My dear, if you go, who is to take care of the children, and what have you left for them to eat?” She replied:  “As I have neither flour, nor milk, nor butter, nor oil, nor anything else, what can I leave?” “You had better stay at home, then,” said the poor man; “for assuredly this is the true house of condolence.”  And also in the following:  A citizen of Tawris, in comfortable circumstances, had a daughter so very ugly that nothing could induce any one to marry her.  At length he resolved to bestow her on a blind man, hoping that, not seeing her personal defects, he would be kind to her.  His plan succeeded, and the blind man lived very happily with his wife.  By-and-by, there arrived in the city a doctor who was celebrated for restoring sight to many people, and the girl’s father was urged by his friends to engage this skilled man to operate upon his son-in-law, but he replied:  “I will take care to do nothing of the kind; for if this doctor should restore my son-in-law’s eyesight, he would very soon restore my daughter to me!”