332 Origin and Ceremonies of the Mohurrum, [Oct. 



The narrator then takes his seat on the pulpit and 

 delivers a i^^^- Khotba (a sermon or oration) in Ara* 

 bic thus : 



*^ Praise be to God who hath filled the hearts 

 of the friends of Hoosien with grief." 



The chorus sing at intervals the words ^-m^^-V.^ " O ! 

 Hoosien" with proper tune. This is continued for a 

 length of time. 



When this is finished the narrator sings /»AArsn^ 

 Bunde Mohtushum (Mohtushum's verses) consisting oi 

 several distichs^ the first being as follows : 



" When Zainub (sister of Hoosien) saw the unhappy- 

 condition of the martyrs on the desert, she turned 

 her face towards Medina (alluding to the Prophet's 

 tomb) and exclaimed, behold our helpless 

 situation." 



The chorus at intervals sing the words 

 O Prince the martyr !" 



This done, the narrator delivers from the pulpit s 

 tragical history of Hoosien called Reewayet 

 written in good Persian prose ; it runs thus : 



^I'jAiwJ JU Us- tuJ* 



