Haiti baitn/:, ' niv house is yours,' is part of the hospitable salutation with which the guest U welcomed. The phrase survives in the town'* and cities most inlluenced by Western civilization ; only, however, as an expression of courtesy. In remote villages, and in the de.sert camps, it is a simple statement of fiu't. As the proverb hits it, 'The guest while in the house is its lord." The jjresent writer has been frequently thu» promoted to the lordship of a house of hair, the owner wait- ing without until the guest bode him enter, and
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HOSPITALITY, HOST
HOSPITALITY, HOST
standing np until invited to recline on his own cushions. The stores, he they small or plentiful, are e<nially at the quest's conimaiid. The hest of everything is nlaccu before him ; and whatever he may desire will be procured if the pussihility exists. No sacrilice is too great to be ma(le for the comfort of the guest: many will not stop even at the honour of wife and daughter (cf. Gn 19*, Jg 19**). No man is demeaned by any service to his guest, even by pouring water on feet and liaiid.s, un<l waiting on him at meat. As one said, 'I am tlie slave of my guest as long as he is with me, but save in this tliere is no trace of the slave in my nature' (yamiisa, p. 727, quoted by \V. K. Smith, JiS- p. 68).
There are certain well-understood provisions for preserving the honour of the host, which all guests are expected to ob.serve. No pains should be spared to reach the resting-place before sunset. 'I he proverb runs, ' He who arrives after sundown goes su])perless to bed.' The reason being that this leaves the host too little time to prepare such a repast as his own credit requires. The law may not be enforced ; but, while shelter may be de- maiiilcd, in sucli a ca.se there is no obligation to give fiKul. This explains the seeming lack of hospitality in the parable (Lk IP'"). Again, the guest is care- ful not to eat all that is brought to him, especially if his host be a poor man ; somewhat nmst be left over, as evidence that he has had enough, and more than enough. Usually, supplies are too liberal to permit of complete consumption ; but when a large company settles on a man for the night there is need for care, that he be not put to shame. Clean dishes would 'blacken his face 'in presence of his guests. It is his pride to furnish over and above necessities. Yet, again, it is permissible to manifest great satisfaction with the fare whilst partaking. In drinking coll'ee, e.g., pleasure is fittingly expressed by drawing in the liquid with considerable noise, smacking of the lips, etc. Such ■visible tokens of appreciation greatly delight the host. But the otter of anything in paj'ment would be taken as an insult. 1 he Arab eats not in the morning; the guest departs with a simple 'good- bye' He has liad no more than his right; and presently his host will enjoy like treatment at his or some other brother's hands. The recognition of this obligation to the needy stranger must often have been the very condition of life to wanderers in waste lands.
That the guest is inviolable is one of the first principles of Arab hospitality. To be safe, the stranger needs but enter the tent, or only touch a tent rope ; then, even if he be an enemy, no hand will be raised against him. The homicide may claim the rights of sanctuary from the slain man's next-of-kin himself, the avenger of blood, on whom lies the chief obligation of revenge. And as the duty of vengeance belongs to all the family or tribe of the murdered man, so protection granted by one is binding upon all. To slay an enemy in battle, or when meeting him in the open field, is esteemed an act of true and valorous manhood ; to fall upon one seeking shelter in his tent, would ffain an Arab's name with everlasting dishonour. To injure the guest is the mark of deepest depravity. The Arabs of el-Lejft are held in re- probation as the greatest of rascals ; it is said of them that 'they will even murder the guest.' An Arab tradition points to the reputed site of Sodom as the place where stones rained down from heaven upon the people who abused ' some travellers seek- ing hospitality there.' In Mai 3' the Lord is announced as a swift witness against such as turn aside the stranger in judf;nient.
But the ties of hospitality receive a more weighty sanction when a meal is partaken of in commcm.
For an Arab to injure one who has eaten with him from the same dish, would be equivalent to lifting his hand against his own tte.sh and blood. They are ' brotliers of the bread,' pledged by this act to do each other no harm, and also actively to promote each other's safety to the full extent of their ability. This obligation, however, lasts no longer than they may be supposed to retain the food thus eaten in their bodies ; and tlie limit usually recognized is tliirty-six hours. But con- stant repetition of eating and drinking in commnn may give permanence to the bonds. W. K. Smith (/i.i'- p. 270 f.) quotes several illustrations of (he length to which these ideas are sometimes carried. Zaid al-Kliail, a famous warrior in the days of Mohammed, refused to slay a vagabond who had stolen his camels because the thief had sur- rejititiou.sly drunk from his father's milk -pail before the theft. In A mtIM of Mofaddal al- Uahbi, a man claims and obtains help of Al-yftrith in recovering his stolen camels, because the water which was still in their stomachs when they were taken from him had been drawn with the Lelj) of a rope borrowed from Al-Hfirith's herdsmen. Un the other hand, after the battle of Cosh.'iwa, a captive refused to eat the food of his captor, who h.ad slain his son, and thus kept alive his right of blood revenge.