382 - I heard Ahmad b. Yahya al-Nahwi (Tha'lab) being asked about the saying: "I am its rubbed-down trunk (judayluha al-muhakkak)," he said: It is a piece of wood set up for camels to rub against. I said to him: What about his saying, "and its propped-up date palm (udhayquha al-murajjab)"? He said: It refers to the date palm that has been propped up; when there is fear for the palm tree, it is surrounded [with supports], meaning around the 'adhq. The 'adhq is the date palm, and the 'adhq is also a cluster of the date palm's fruits. I asked him: Why did he call himself by these two [metaphors]? He said: Yes, he meant by "I am its trunk": I cure your ailment, and [by] "I am its propped-up palm," he said: He means I am of noble origin among you.
٣٨٢ - سَمِعْتُ ١٠٨٩١ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ يَحْيَى النَّحْوِيَّ ثَعْلَبَ سُئِلَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ: أَنَا جُذَيْلُهَا الْمُحَكَّكُ، قَالَ: الْخَشَبَةُ تُنْصَبُ لِلْإِبِلِ تَحْتَكُّ بِهَا، قُلْتُ لَهُ: فَقَوْلُهُ: وَعُذَيْقُهَا الْمُرَجَّبُ، قَالَ: يَعْنِي النَّخْلَةَ الْمُرَجَّبَ إِذَا خِيفَ عَلَى النَّخْلَةِ يُحَوَّطُ حَوْلَهَا، يَعْنِي حَوْلَ الْعَذْقِ، وَالْعَذْقُ: النَّخْلَةُ، وَالْعَذْقُ عَذْقٌ مِنْ أَعْذَاقِ النَّخْلَةِ، قُلْتُ لَهُ: فَلِمَ سَمَّى نَفْسَهُ بِهَذَيْنِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، يَعْنِي أَنَا جُذَيْلُهَا: أَنَا أَشْفِي دَاءَكُمْ، وَأَنَا عُذَيْقُهَا، قَالَ: يَعْنِي أَنَا كَرِيمُ الْأَصْلِ فِيكُمْ "
