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up of an adjective and a noun. The adjectives are made up of four
letters each. So are the succeeding nouns. The even lettering of both
adjectives and nouns creates a kind of morphemic symmetry unattainable
in the English translation.
The tenth wife (TT) said: "My husband is Malik, and what is Malik?
Malik is greater than whatever I say about him. (He is beyond and
above all praises which can come to my mind.) Most of his camels are
kept at home (ready to be slaughtered for the guests) and only a few
are taken to the pastures. When the camels hear the sound of the lute
(or the tambourine) they realise that they are going to be slaughtered
for the guests." The name of the woman's husband is thrice repeated,
which is emblematic of how proud of him she is and, how absolutely
spotless his character is. He is rich, hospitable, considerate, and
kind-hearted. The adjectives 'kathi ra't' (many) and 'gall la't' (few)
are both alliterative and antithetical. Describing the alliterative
relationship between structure sequences Geoffrey Leech (A Linguistic
Guide to English Poetry, 1969, p96), says: "It is worthwhile to point
out, however, that the phonological bond is most striking when it is
between words which are grammatically paired but which contrast in
reference and associations".
The eleventh wif3 (TT) said: "My husband is Abu Zar( (ie. what
should I say about him)? He has given me many ornaments and my ears
are heavily loaded with them and my arms have become fat (ie. I have
become fat). And he has pleased me, and I have become so happy that I
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