Introduction xiii
and found Adam and Eve sleeping, and he showed them
fully how they had sinned and why they must go. c' Allah
is just," said Adam. " We will go," said Eve, " as soon
as the day dawns.7' After many days Allah looked again
and saw Adam and Eve still in the garden. So he sum-
moned the Archangel Gabriel, and said to him: "Go
thou, gifd on thy sword, and show them all the power of
Allah that they may go." So Gabriel went and found
them eating, and he showed them all the power of Allah
to make them go. " Allah is great,1' said Adam. 'f We
go," said Eve, "as soon as the meal is over." Long
after Allah looked again, and they were there still. So
he sent for Shaitan, and said to him : " Adam and Eve
are delivered into thy hand. Thou hast power to take
them out of My garden wherever and whenever thou
wilt," So Shaitan went and found them walking. And
he showed them how he had command from Allah to
take them from Eden into Jehannum. ''Allah has
spoken," said Adam. "Oh, Shaitan, fly on and we
follow," said Eve. And Allah looked again, and they
were still there. So he sent a Turkish Chaoush, who
found them bathing, and said : " Git." And they went
just as they were.
This story-telling still goes on, though the settings
of the stories are modernised and Western themes intro-
duced. And it is to this village habit of gathering to listen
to anyone who will hold forth that may be attributed the
sudden growth of the power of the Press. Unhappily the
gathering now, as often as not, listens to the reading
aloud of a leading article in which the British Lion takes
the place of the "ghoul" and Sa'ad the Blessed that
of the hero. But the identification of Egypt, with its
favourite heroine— the designing minx — holds good.
And inihe story of Modern Egypt, as told in the follow-