Chapter Schahzaman to Sciolto of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Schahzaman to Sciolto

Schahzaman, sultan of the “Island of the Children of Khal’edan,” situate in the open sea, some twenty days’ sail from the coast of Persia. This sultan had a son, an only child, named Camaral’zaman, the most beautiful of mortals. Camaralzaman married Badoura the most beautiful of women, the only daughter of Gaiour emperor of China.— Arabian Nights (“Camaralzaman and Badoura”).

Schaibar , brother of the fairy Pari-Banou. He was only eighteen inches in height, and had a huge hump both before and behind. His beard, though thirty feet long, never touched the ground, but projected forwards. His moustaches went back to his ears, and his little pig’s eyes were buried in his enormous head. He wore a conical hat, and carried for quarter-staff an iron bar of 500 lbs. weight at least.—Arabian Nights (“Ahmed and Pari-Banou”).

Schamir (The), that instrument or agent with which Solomon wrought the stones of the temple, being forbidden to use any metal instrument for the purpose. Some say the Schamir’ was a worm; some that it was a stone; some that it was “a creature no bigger than a barleycorn, which nothing could resist.”

Scheherazade [Sha-ha’-ra-zah’de], the hypothetical relater of the stories in the Arabian Nights. She was the elder daughter of the vizier of Persia. (See above, SCHAHRIAH.)

Roused like the sultana Scheherazadê, and forced into a story.—Dickens: David Copperfield (1849).

Schemseddin Mohammed, elder son of the vizier of Egypt, and brother of Noureddin Ali. He quarrelled with his brother on the subject of their two children’s hypothetical marriage; but the brothers were not yet married, and children “were only in supposition.” Noureddin Ali quitted Cairo, and travelled to Basora, where he married the vizier’s daughter, and on the very same day Schemseddin married the daughter of one of the chief grandees of Cairo. On one and the same day a daughter was born to Schemseddin and a son to his brother Noureddin Ali. When Schemseddin’s daughter was 20 years old, the sultan asked her in marriage, but the vizier told him she was betrothed to his brother’s son, Bed’reddin Ali. At this reply, the sultan, in anger, swore she should be given in marriage to the “ugliest of his slaves,” and accordingly betrothed her to Hunchback a groom, both ugly and deformed. By a fairy trick, Bedreddin Ali was substituted for the groom, but at daybreak was conveyed to Damascus. Here he turned pastry- cook, and was discovered by his mother by his cheese-cakes. Being restored to his country and his wife, he ended his life happily.—Arabian Nights (“Noureddin Ali,” etc.). (See CHEESE-CAKES, p. 199.)

Schemselnihar, the favourite sultana of Haroun-al-Raschid caliph of Bagdad. She fell in love with Aboulhassan Ali ebn Becar prince of Persia. From the first moment of their meeting they began to pine for each other, and fell sick. Though miles apart, they died at the same hour, and were both buried in one grave.—Arabian Nights (“Aboulhassan and Schemselnihar”).

Schlemihl (Peter), the hero of a popular German legend. Peter sells his shadow to an “old man in grey,” who meets him while fretting under a disappointment. The name is a household term for one who makes a desperate and silly bargain.—Chamisso: Peter Schlemihl (1813).

Scholastic (The), Epipha’nius, an Italian scholar (sixth century).

Scholastic Doctor (The), Anselm of Laon (1050–1117).

Scholey (Lawrence), servant at Burgh-Westra. His father is Magnus Troil the udaller of Zetland.—Sir W. Scott: The Pirate (time, William III.).

(Udaller is one who holds land by allodial tenure.)

Schonfelt, lieutenant of sir Archibald von Hagenbach a German noble.—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

School for Scandal. (See SCANDAL, p. 966.)