The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman - Part 22
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Part 22

MUF. Ioc, ioc, ioc. Mahametana? Mahametana? [No, no, no. A Mahometan?

a Mahometan?]

TUR. Hi Valla. Hi Valla. [There you have it. There you have it.]

MUF. Como chamara? Como chamara? [How is he called? How is he called?]

TUR. Giourdina, Giourdina. [Jourdain, Jourdain.]

MUF. (_jumping_). Giourdina, Giourdina. [Jourdain, Jourdain.]

TUR. Giourdina, Giourdina. [Jourdain, Jourdain.]

THE MUFTI. [1]

Mahameta, per Giourdina, Mi pregar sera e matina.

Voler far un paladina De Giourdina, de Giourdina; Dar turbanta, e dar scarrina, Con galera, e brigantina, Per deffender Palestina.

Mahameta, per Giourdina, Mi pregar sera e matina.

(_To the_ TURKS.) Star bon Turca Giourdina?

[1]

To Mahomet for Jourdain, I pray night and day.

I wish to make a paladin Of Jourdain, of Jourdain.

Give him a turban, and give him a sword, With a galley and a brigantine, To defend Palestine.

To Mahomet for Jourdain I pray night and day.

(_To the_ TURKS.).

Is Jourdain a good Turk?

TUR. Hi Valla. Hi Valla. [Yes, by Allah!]

MUF. (_singing and dancing_). Ha la ba, ba la chou, ba la ba, ba la da.

TUR. Ha la ba, ba la chou, ba la ba ba la da. [2]

[2]

Thus separated, these words have no sense; but by joining and correcting them, we have: _Allah baba, hou, Allah hou_, which are really Turkish, and which signify, "_G.o.d my Father; G.o.d my Father_." (_Auger_.)

SCENE XI.--TURKS, _singing and dancing_. _Second entry of the_ BALLET.

SCENE XIII.--THE MUFTI, DERVISHES, MR. JOURDAIN, TURKS, _singing and dancing_.

_The_ MUFTI _returns, wearing on his head the state turban, which is of enormous size, and adorned with lighted candles, four or five rows deep; he is accompanied by_ TWO DERVISHES _bearing the Koran, and wearing cone-shaped caps also adorned with lighted candles_.

_The two other_ DERVISHES _lead in_ MR. JOURDAIN, _and make him kneel down, his two hands on the ground, so that his back, on which the Koran is placed, serves for a desk for the_ MUFTI, _who makes a second burlesque invocation, knitting his eyebrows, striking from time to time on the Koran, and turning over the pages with precipitation; after which, lifting up his hands, he cries with a loud voice_, "HOU."

_During this second invocation, the other_ TURKS, _bowing down and raising themselves alternately, sing likewise_, "Hou, hou, hou."

MR. JOUR. (_after they have taken the Koran from off his back_).

Ouf!

THE MUFTI (_to_ MR. JOURDAIN). Ti non star furba? [Thou wilt not be a knave?]

THE TURKS. No, no, no.

THE MUFTI. Non star forfanta? [Nor be a thief?]

THE TURKS. No, no, no.

THE MUFTI (_to the_ TURKS). Donar turbanta. [Give the turban.]

THE TURKS.

Ti non star furba? [Thou wilt not be a knave?]

No, no, no.

Non star forfanta? [Nor be a thief?]

No, no, no.

Donar turbanta. [Give the turban.]

Third entry of the BALLET.

_The_ TURKS, _dancing, put the turban on_ MR. JOURDAIN'S _head at the sound of the instruments_.

THE MUFTI (_giving a sabre to_ MR. JOURDAIN).

Ti star n.o.bile, non star fabbola. [Be brave, be no Scoundrel]

Pigliar schiabbola [Take the Sword.]

THE TURKS (_drawing their sabres_).

Ti star n.o.bile, non star fabbola. [Be brave, be no Scoundrel]

Pigliar schiabbola. [Take the Sword.]

_Fourth entry of the_ BALLET.

_The_ TURKS, _dancing, strike_ MR. JOURDAIN _several times with their swords, keeping time with the music_.

THE MUFTI.

Dara, dara Bastonnara. [Give, give the bastonnade.]

THE TURKS.

Dara, dara Bastonnara. [Give, give the bastonnade.]

_Fifth entry of the_ BALLET.

_The_ Turks, _dancing, give_ MR. JOURDAIN _several blows with a stick, keeping time meanwhile_.

THE MUFTI.