Scene XI The Mufti, Dervishes, Turks, Singing and Dancing
MUF. Dice, Turque, qui star quista? Anabatista? anabatista? [Say,
Turk, who is this? Is he Anabaptist? Anabaptist?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Zuinglista? [A Zwinglian?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Coffita? [A Capht?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Hussita? Morista? Fronista? [A Hussite? a Moor? a Phronist?]
TUR. Ioc, ioc; ioc. [No, no, no.]
MUF. Ioc, ioc, ioc. Star pagana? [No, no, no. Is he a pagan?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Luterana? [A Lutheran?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Puritana? [A Puritan?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Bramina? Moffina? Zurina? [A Brahmin? a Moffian? a Zurian?]
TUR. Ioc, ioc, ioc. [No, no, no.]
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
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
Notes
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, “God my Father; God my Father.” (Auger.)