, the woman strives hard to gain her living by washing,
spinning, sewing, knitting stockings, and other things of that kind.
Later on the grown-up children sustain their mother, so that women who
have children spend their old age in comparative comfort. If, however, a
widow, perhaps for want, consents to be married again, her own condition
may be improved, but her children suffer.

Some older women must be mentioned who are rather frequent in Moslem
lands, and who form a class by themselves. Generally they have been
married several times, but either have no children, or have abandoned
them to their fate. They pass their old age without a companion and
gain their living in as easy a manner as possible, being not very
particular in choosing the means. Outwardly they seem to be utterly
devoted to their religious duties, and are always seen to murmur prayers
and count their beads, by which behavior even religious people are often
deceived so as to support them. On closer observation, however, their
real occupation proves to be roaming about in the houses and intruding
themselves in a skilful and unobserved way in order to spy out people's
whereabouts. They try to make themselves agreeable to the female members
of the household by tale-bearing or making commissions of different
kinds, particularly those which the women cannot make themselves or
which the landlord of the house must not know about. Thus they gain
influence over those whom they have served, and assure themselves of
their gratitude. They promote love-intrigues, make marriages, and so on;
if desired, they will also go to some celebrated fortune-teller, in
order to secure a talisman.

These talismans or amulets generally consist of a scrap of paper, on
which there are written sayings, names, letters, figures, or signs with
common ink, or often with a yellow liquid made of saffron, musk, or
amber; sometimes even serpent's blood is used for this purpose. If the
talisman is to be worn on the body, the paper is folded in the form of a
triangle or a quadrant, then wrapped in a piece of cotton which has been
made water-proof, and at last covered with a piece of fine cloth. The
amulet is fastened upon the head or tied around the upper-arm or worn on
the breast, with a string around the neck. Some people sew it upon the
inside of their clothes so that it lies on the backbone or on the heart.
Sometimes the amulet must be fastened with seven-colored silk. Sometimes
also it