Thus If A Man Is
Going Along The Road And Hears Some One Sneeze, If He Deems It (Say) A
Good Token For Himself He Goes On, But If Otherwise He Stops A Bit, Or
Peradventure Turns Back Altogether From His Journey.[NOTE 16]
As soon as a child is born they write down his nativity, that is to say
the day and hour, the month, and the moon's age.
This custom they observe
because every single thing they do is done with reference to astrology,
and by advice of diviners skilled in Sorcery and Magic and Geomancy, and
such like diabolical arts; and some of them are also acquainted with
Astrology.
[All parents who have male children, as soon as these have attained the
age of 13, dismiss them from their home, and do not allow them further
maintenance in the family. For they say that the boys are then of an age
to get their living by trade; so off they pack them with some twenty or
four-and-twenty groats, or at least with money equivalent to that. And
these urchins are running about all day from pillar to post, buying and
selling. At the time of the pearl-fishery they run to the beach and
purchase, from the fishers or others, five or six pearls, according to
their ability, and take these to the merchants, who are keeping indoors
for fear of the sun, and say to them: "These cost me such a price; now
give me what profit you please on them." So the merchant gives something
over the cost price for their profit.
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