Vantagens da burca

Terminei de ler, este fim de semana, "O Jardim Perfumado" traduzido e publicado por Sir Richard Burton em 1886 (estou a escrever uns posts sobre isso, mas também tenho de ler a versão de Jim Colville -- encomendei na Amazon ontem), que é um texto árabe com instruções para os maridos. No capítulo 11 há uma história que me fez pensar que a burca pode dar muito jeito. Aqui está a história da Bahia (Ah, a Bahia a perguntar se o amigo do amante é inteligente é muito bom!):

Story of Bahia

It is related that a married woman of the name of Bahia (splendid beauty) had a lover whose relations to her were soon a mystery to no one, for which reason she had to leave him. Her absence affected him to such a degree that he fell ill, because he could not see her.

One day he went to see one of his friends, and said to him, 'Oh, my brother! an ungovernable desire has seized me, and I can wait no more. Could you accompany me on a visit I am going to pay to Bahia, the well-beloved of my heart?' The friend declared himself willing.

'The next day they mounted their horses; and after a journey of two days, they arrived near the place where Bahia dwelt. There they stopped. The lover said to his friend, 'Go and see the people that live about here, and ask for their hospitality, but take good care not to divulge our intentions, and try in particular to find the servant-girl of Bahia, to whom you can say that I am here, and whom you will charge with the message to her mistress that I would like to see her.' He then described the servant-maid to him.

'The friend went, met the servant, and told her all that was necessary. She went at once to Bahia, and repeated to her what she had been told.

Bahia sent to the friend the message, 'Inform him who sent you that the meeting will take place tonight, near such and such a tree, at such and such an hour.'

Returning to the lover, the friend communicated to him the decision of Bahia about the rendezvous.

At the hour that had been fixed, the two friends were near to the tree. They had not to wait long for Bahia. As soon as her lover saw her coming, he rushed to meet her, kissed her, pressed her to his heart, and they began to embrace and caress each other.

The lover said to her, 'O Bahia, is there no way to enable us to pass the night together without rousing the suspicions of your husband?' She answered, 'Oh, before God! if it will give you pleasure, the means to contrive this are not wanting.' 'Hasten,' said her lover, 'to let me know how it may be done.' She then asked him, 'Your friend here, is he devoted to you, and intelligent?' He answered, 'Yes.' She then rose, took off her garments, and handed them to the friend, who gave her his, in which she then dressed herself; then she made the friend put on her clothes. The lover said, surprised, 'What are you going to do?' 'Be silent,' she answered, and addressing herself to the friend, she gave him the following explanations: 'Go to my house and lie down in my bed. After a third part of the night is passed, my husband will come to you and ask you for the pot into which they milk the camels. You will then take up the vase, but you must keep it in your hands until he takes it from you. This is our usual way. Then he will go and return with the pot filled with milk, and say to you, "Here is the pot!" But you must not take it from him until he has repeated these words. Then take it out of his hands. or let him put it on the ground himself. After that, you will not see anything more of him till the morning. After the pot has been put on the ground, and my husband is gone, drink the third part of the milk, and replace the pot on the ground.'

The friend went, observed all these recommendations, and when the husband returned with the pot full of milk he did not take it out of his hands until he had said twice, 'Here is the pot!' Unfortunately he withdrew his hands ', hen the husband was going to set it down, the latter thinking the pot was being held, let it go, and the vase fell upon the ground and was broken. The husband, in the belief that he was speaking to his wife, exclaimed, 'What have you been thinking of?' and beat him with a switch till it broke; then took another, and continued to batter him stroke on stroke enough to break his back The mother and sister of Bahia came running to the spot to tear her from his hands. He had fainted. Luckily they succeeded in getting the husband away.

The mother of Bahia soon came back, and talked to him so long that he was fairly sick of her talk; but he could do nothing but be silent and weep. At last she finished, saying, 'Have confidence in God, and obey your husband. As for your lover, he cannot come now to see and console you, but I will send your sister to keep you company.' And so she went away.

She did send, indeed, the sister of Bahia, who began to console her and curse him who had beaten her. He felt his heart warming towards her, for he had seen that she was of resplendent beauty, endowed with all perfections, and like the full moon in the night. He placed his hand over her mouth, so as to prevent her from speaking, and said to her, 'O, lady! I am not what you think. Your sister Bahia is at present with her lover, and I have run into danger to do her a service. Will you not take me under your protection? If you denounce me, your sister will be covered with shame; as for me, I have done my part, but the evil may fall back upon you!'

The young girl then began to tremble like a leaf, in thinking of the consequences of her sister's doings, and then, beginning to laugh, surrendered herself to the friend who had proved himself so true. They passed the remainder of the night in bliss, kisses, embraces, and mutual enjoyment. He found her the best of the best. In her arms he forgot the beating he had received, and they did not cease to play, toy, and make love till daybreak.

He then returned to his companion. Bahia asked him how he had fared, and he said to her, 'Ask your sister. By my faith! she knows it all! Only know, that we have passed the night in mutual pleasures, kissing and enjoying ourselves until now.

Then they changed clothes again, each one taking his own, and the friend told Bahia all the particulars of what had happened to him.

Appreciate, after this, the deceitfulness of women, and what they are capable of.