وَادَّعَى أَنَّهُ طَالَمَا نَظَمَ دُرَّةً إِلَى دُرَّةٍ فَبَاعَهُمَا بِبَدْرَةٍ
He claimed that he often strung pearl to pearl and sold the pair for a large sum.
Durrah is a pearl; badrah denotes a substantial purse or sum. The sound relation between the words gives his claim a memorable flourish, while the supposed profits sound impressive.
The key is he claimed it: the woman reports his boast, but no evidence of such earnings is yet supplied.
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The Alexandrian Maqāmah — A Traveler’s Ambition and a Complaint before the Judge
وَادَّعَى أَنَّهُ طَالَمَا نَظَمَ دُرَّةً إِلَى دُرَّةٍ فَبَاعَهُمَا بِبَدْرَةٍ
He claimed that he often strung pearl to pearl and sold the pair for a large sum.
Durrah is a pearl; badrah denotes a substantial purse or sum. The sound relation between the words gives his claim a memorable flourish, while the supposed profits sound impressive.
The key is he claimed it: the woman reports his boast, but no evidence of such earnings is yet supplied.