The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman

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]

[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.)

SCENE XI.

– TURKS, singing and dancing. Second entry of the BALLET.

SCENE XIII.

– THE MUFTI, DERVISHES, MR. JOURDAIN, TURKS, singing and dancing.

The MUFTI returns, wearing on his head the state turban, which is of enormous size, and adorned with lighted candles, four or five rows deep; he is accompanied by TWO DERVISHES bearing the Koran, and wearing cone-shaped caps also adorned with lighted candles.

The two other DERVISHES lead in MR. JOURDAIN, and make him kneel down, his two hands on the ground, so that his back, on which the Koran is placed, serves for a desk for the MUFTI, who makes a second burlesque invocation, knitting his eyebrows, striking from time to time on the Koran, and turning over the pages with precipitation; after which, lifting up his hands, he cries with a loud voice, "HOU."

During this second invocation, the other TURKS, bowing down and raising themselves alternately, sing likewise, "Hou, hou, hou."

MR. JOUR. (after they have taken the Koran from off his back).

Ouf!

THE MUFTI (to MR. JOURDAIN). Ti non star furba? [Thou wilt not be a knave?]

THE TURKS. No, no, no.

THE MUFTI. Non star forfanta? [Nor be a thief?]

THE TURKS. No, no, no.

THE MUFTI (to the TURKS). Donar turbanta. [Give the turban.]

THE TURKS.

Ti non star furba? [Thou wilt not be a knave?]
No, no, no.
Non star forfanta? [Nor be a thief?]
No, no, no.
Donar turbanta. [Give the turban.]

Third entry of the BALLET.

The TURKS, dancing, put the turban on MR. JOURDAIN'S head at the sound of the instruments.

THE MUFTI (giving a sabre to MR. JOURDAIN).

Ti star nobile, non star fabbola. [Be brave, be no Scoundrel]
Pigliar schiabbola [Take the Sword.]

THE TURKS (drawing their sabres).

Ti star nobile, non star fabbola. [Be brave, be no Scoundrel]
Pigliar schiabbola. [Take the Sword.]

Fourth entry of the BALLET.

The TURKS, dancing, strike MR. JOURDAIN several times with their swords, keeping time with the music.

THE MUFTI.

Dara, dara
Bastonnara. [Give, give the bastonnade.]

THE TURKS.

Dara, dara
Bastonnara. [Give, give the bastonnade.]

Fifth entry of the BALLET.

The Turks, dancing, give MR. JOURDAIN several blows with a stick, keeping time meanwhile.

THE MUFTI.

Non tener honta; [Think it not a shame;]
Questa star l'ultima affronta. [This is the last affront.]

THE TURKS.

Non tener honta; [Think it not a shame;]
Questa star l'ultima affronta. [This is the last affront.]