Chapter Noureddin to Number Nip of N by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Noureddin to Number Nip

Noureddin, son of Khacan (vizier of Zinebi king of Balsora). He got possession of the “beautiful Persian” purchased for the king. At his father’s death he soon squandered away his patrimony in the wildest extravagance, and fled with his beautiful slave to Bagdad. Here he encountered Haroun-al-Raschid in disguise, and so pleased the caliph, that he was placed in the number of those courtiers most intimate with his majesty, who also bestowed on him so plentiful a fortune, that he lived with the “beautiful Persian” in affluence all the rest of his life.—Arabian Nights (“Noureddin and the Beautiful Persian”).

Noureddin Ali, younger son of the vizie r of Egypt. “He was possessed of as much merit as can fall to the lot of man.” Having quarrelled with his elder brother, he travelled to Basora, where he married the vizier’s daughter, and succeeded his father-in-law in office. A son was born to him in due time, and on the very same day the wife of his elder brother had a daughter. Noureddin died when his son was barely twenty and unmarried.—Arabian Nights (“Noureddin Ali,” etc.).

Nourgehan’s Bracelet. Nourgehan emperor of the Moguls had a bracelet which had the property of discovering poison, even at a considerable distance. When poison was anywhere near the wearer, the stones of the bracelet seemed agitated, and the agitation increased as the poison approached them.—Comte de Caylus: Oriental Tales (“The Four Talismans,” 1743).

Nourjahad, a sleeper, like Rip van Winkle, Epimenidês, etc. (See Sleepers.) A romance by Mrs. Sheridan (1767).

Nourjeham [“light of the world”]. So the sultana Nourmahal was subsequently called.—Moore: Lalla Rookh (“The Light of the Haram,” 1817).

Nour-jehan, the widow of Shere Afgun. Her name was “Mher ul Nissa” (the sun of women). Selim slew Shere Afgun, in order to obtain possession of Nour-jehan, as David morally slew Uriah the Hittite in order to make Bathsheba his wife. In both cases the woman was but too willing to pander to royal lust.—Percy: Anecdotes, p. 246.

Nourmahal (The sultana), i.e. “Light of the Haram,” afterwards called Nourjeham (“light of the world”). She was for a season estranged from the sultan, till he gave a grand banquet, at which she appeared in disguise as a lute-player and singer. The sultan was so enchanted with her performance, that he exclaimed, “If Nourmahal had so played and sung, I could forgive her all;” whereupon the sultana threw off her mask, and Selim “caught her to his heart.”—Moore: Lalla Rookh (“The Light of the Haram,” 1817).

Nouronihar, daughter of the emir Fakreddin; a laughing, beautiful girl, full of fun and pretty mischief, dotingly fond of Gulchenrouz, her cousin, a boy of 13. She married the caliph Vathek, with whom she descended into the abyss of Eblis, whence she never after returned to the light of day.

The tr ick she played Bababalouk was this: Vathek the caliph was on a visit to Fakreddin the emir, and Bababalouk his chief eunuch intruded into the bath-room, where Nouronihar and her damsels were bathing. Nouronihar induced the old eunuch to rest himself awhile on the swing, when the girls set it going with all their might. The cords broke, the eunuch fell into the bath, the girls made off with their lamps, and left the meddle-some old fool to flounder about till morning, when assistance came, but not before he was half dead.—Beckford: Vathek (1784).

Nourounnihar, niece of a sultan of India who had three sons all in love with her. The sultan said he would give her to him who, in twelve months, gave him the most valuable present. The three princes met in a certain inn at the expiration of the time, when one prince looked through a tube, which showed Nourounnihar at the point of death; another of the brothers transported all three instantaneously on a magic carpet to the princess’s chamber; and the third brother gave her an apple to smell of, which effected an instant cure of any malady. It was impossible to decide which of these presents was the most valuable; so the sultan said that that son should have her who shot an arrow to the greatest distance. The eldest (Houssain) shot first; Ali overshot the arrow of his elder brother; but that of the youngest brother (Ahmed)