Page 132 - Arabian Studies (II)

124 Arabian Studies II

({awll al-hanak)A 6 and finally, with no surplus flesh on the lower leg
('ari’l-saqayn),4 7 that is from the stifle to the pastern.
Other important points of appearance and conformation can be
found in the written sources. They48 list the following: small head;
excessively pendulous ears, with a wide space between the two; wide,
protruding forehead; straight forelegs; toes close together to prevent
the entry of dirt and mud which thus slows down the saluki; a
general appearance of intelligence and alertness; slender in the waist;
a smooth coat, like the feathers of a falcon; a space of three
fingers49 between the two ilia; the hound should display a strong
aversion to the leash or chain.
There is certainly evidence that the ears of the saluki have
sometimes been cropped,so though the practice does not appear to
exist today in Saudi Arabia. It is interesting to note that Jahiz talks
of injury to the ears by hard running and what he has to say is
worthy of citation here:51 ‘When the hound runs, it stretches out its
fore and hind legs more than the horse; this is what can injure the
ears and make them bleed.’ He goes on to quote a verse of poetry by
the famous poet Abu Nuwas,5 2 ‘When he runs flat out, the points of
his claws perforate his ears.’ This is not in fact possible, though there
remained the danger of torn ears, when the hound was expected to
take on a quarry like the oryx.5 3 In this connection the following verse
by Abu Dhu’ayb54 is of interest: ‘He [the oryx] turned in fear, but
his means of escape were blocked by dust-coloured [?] [ghubr]
hounds, two with ears complete, one with cropped ears.’
The similarity between the hound and the horse is a constantly
recurring theme throughout Arabic hunting and equestrian literature
and two almost identical stories are told to illustrate this.
‘Muslim b. ‘Amr sent to a cousin of his in Syria for him to buy a
horse for him. The cousin replied, “I have no knowledge of horses.”
Muslim said, “Are you not a hunting man?” “Yes”, replied his
cousin. “Then look for everything which you consider good in the
hound and seek it in the horse.” His cousin brought him a horse the
like of which was not to be found among the bedouin Arabs. >5 5
‘al-Ma’mun56 sent one of his men to the desert to find him a
good horse. The man replied, “I know nothing of horses.” “Are you
not an expert on hounds?” “Yes.” “Then look for everything which
you would aim for in a good well bred hound and look for the same
in the horse.” ’5 7
In a nineteenth-century Bahraynl poem5 8 too the comparison can
be found, though here of a more precise nature. A mare is described
as being \ . . deep of girth and/Lean of flank as the bounding saluki.5
All else being equal, the hunters of the Peninsula undoubtedly