1005 Adventures: Pilgrimage

[Bitom]

Sayyid actually laughs at Kasib's song, particularly the part about the guide himself. He gets some odd looks when the bird is referenced, there's been no sign of it since the party came to camp here. it's probably with its kin, feasting on camel.

He turns to Ka'im, "And he didn't once mention how handsome he is. It's a new level of humility! I think that our departed Imam has had a positive effect."

[Brennor]

Ka'im solemnly nods his head in response to Sayyid. "Quite true, quite true."

[Wayloss]

Looking around one would find Jabiir's head upon the table and a not so soft snore erupting from him with each breath. He might have missed the whole song!

[Vardaen]

The crowd is dead silent as the Rawun beginst to sing. Then it begins, the chuckling, then pointing, and the laughing. People laugh at places when they are suposed to, which seems like very often. A few people act out one part of the song, punching each other in the FACE. They fall over in stupid excitement and drunken enjoyment. Ataman is a bit dumbfounded by the words of the song. The singing itself is delightful, excellent, and the Zither playing is good, clearly only have nine fingers for a string instrument has its draw backs. When its over Ataman, is silent, and then begins to clap slowly. The rest of the crowd claps and laughs, enjoying what they think to be a purposfully mocking song. Ataman looks over the ground and the Rawun, "Well it is good to see that you are humble people and can laugh at your own faults, as many and as glaring as they are. A...fine tune Rawun! Perhaps sometime in the far off future, far far off, you can sing a song about me." He hands a skin of Koomiss to Kasib, "Drink up..."

A few lovely young girls, and a few not so lovely ones, begin to gather around Kasib gigglings and yip yapping about the song and how good Kasib is at singing.

[TetNak]

Kasib throws his fez into the air as his song pleases the crowd. He does not comment on Ataman's words, just accepting them as being a nice compliment and not worrying about what he was actually trying to do.

"Oh, ladies," he says, smiling and looking around at the gathering girls. Suddenly, his smile actually fades, strangely, and he bows respectfully to each. "Excuse me," he says, taking a skin of koomiss but actually avoiding the women that seem to be feeling his flavor.

The rawun sits down next to Sayyid and grunts ...

[Bitom]

Sayyid smiles and pats Kasib on the shoulder. "Abdalla would be proud of you, boy. His life was not in vain as long as his words were heard. And the song was good, for a change. Why can't you do that more often?" He distinctly fails to mention that it is possibly his threats and not the dwarf's teachings that is keeping Kasib away from the women. That would just be rude.

[Brennor]

Ka'im is still obviously shocked by the Rawun's tune, for he remains quiet.

[Vardaen]

Ataman joins those of the group that remain awake as Kasib does not fall pray to the young woman. Perhaps something someone said recently is in his ear still. With Ataman comes the older Hakima and the two sit down, the Hakima has a small wooden boc no larger than your hand. The shiek leans back comfortably, "Now we share salt!" Ataman motions for the Hakim to open the box, and a small amount of salt is displayed. The shiek presents a few fresh cucumbers and slices them up with hsi jambyia. He sprinkles the slices with the salt and offers them to his guests. He smiles, and is in a jovial mood after the song of Kasib.

The Bond of Salt

The Bond of Salt

The salt bond epitomizes Zakharan hospitality and the mutual responsibilities of host and guest. When a guest ingests salt from a host's table, their bond becomes formal. Presumably, the salt remains in the guest's body for three days. Until those three days elapse, the host is responsible for the guest's welfare, By offering the salt, the host vows to protect the guest from harm for the duration of the salt bond.

The guest has his or her own obligations. By accepting the salt, a guest agrees not to bring harm to the host. Furthermore, a polite guest should leave with the coming of dawn if the family's stores appear to be lean. If the family protests heartily, the guest may stay for the entire duration of the salt bond. No matter what the host may proclaim, however, it is impolite for a guest to remain in another's house for more than three days. Thereafter the welcome is gone, no matter how much salt is consumed. Furthermore, a guest knows that it is impolite to ask for hospitality of any kind; he or she must wait for the host to offer it. Since it is the host's duty to do so, and it is an insult not toaccept, a guest is rarely disappointed.

The rules of hospitality come to light in Scheherazade's famous tale, 'œAli Baba and the Forty Thieves.' The poor woodcutter Ali Baba discovers a treasure trove in a magical cave, which belongs to a band of robbers. Ali Baba takes some of the treasure, which is clearly centuries old. The robber captain discovers Ali Baba's identity and vows to kill the daring woodcutter'€"but not before Ali Baba is severely punished. In the guise of a merchant, the robber goes to Ali Baba's modest home. The kindly woodcutter fails to recognize the robber and graciously offers a meal. The 'œmerchant' does not wish to accept. He claims to have special dietary needs. When Ali Baba insists, proclaiming that anything can be prepared, the robber feigns unscrupulous man'€"a thief and a murderer'€"will not violate the laws of hospitality. If he were to consumeAli Baba's salt, he would feel honor-bound not to harm the woodcutter or his family.

Ali Baba serves his guest unsalted meat. The robber chews the fare, and he schemes, imagining how he will humiliate and destroy his gracious host when the meal is done. Before his plan can take effect, a clever servant girl enters the room. She dances magnificently, bending to and fro while brandishing a scimitar. For the finale, she plunges the blade into the chest of the surprised robber.

The robber is dead. Ali Baba is mortified. He believes he must kill the girl as retribution, because the merchant was his guest. The girl hastily reveals the merchant's true identity, and explains how the robber purposely avoided the bond of salt, so that he was not really a guest after all. Everyone lives happily ever after (except the robber, of course). In another well-known yam, a thief is pillaging a home when he comes across a small box. Inside it is another little box, which contains a fine white powder. Thinking it's sugar, the thief touches it to his lips. To his horror, he discovers that it is salt! Immediately he leaves the house, taking nothing. Like the robber in the tale of Ali Baba, he is willing to steal. Yet he cannot bring himself to violate the bond of salt, even if the bond was forged by accident.

To most Zakharans, actual salt is not required for the bond of hospitality. Even guests who merely drink water or unsalted coffee can expect no harm from an honorable host.

[Bitom]

Sayyid is the first to formally accept the man's hospitality. Although he generally eats and drinks nothing (At least not where his companions can see) he takes a small cucumber slice and eats, taking only the smallest part of the two rare items that the leader offers the group.

[Brennor]

Ka'im smiles at the formal invitation and the display of opulence just given by the desert tribe.

He is slow to react though and Sayyid makes the first move. When he begins moving, he selects the smallest slice still remaining and eats it.

When he is finished, he bows to his host from his seated position.