Fakir

As Fakir ( Faqir of Arab فقير, DMG 'poor', the emphasis may be on both the first and on the second syllable) is originally denoted a follower of Islamic Sufism, ie a dervish. Later, the usage went over on the label for homeless and dispossessed Indian wandering ascetics, besides Muslim on Hindu sadhus who demonstrate their partially bizarre arts audience.

One hand, many fakirs are serious members of religious, particularly Islamic order, which can produce long practice special mental and physical states such as catalepsy. On the other hand, use many jugglers from the superstition and the sensationalism of the population, in order to earn as a fakir with alleged "miracles" and " magic tricks " livelihood.

In Europe, fakirs were known by the Fakir Fakir board respectively bed, a couch instead of large carpenter nails. The big surprise of the population, when the Fakir without breach of this "bed" rose is, however, due to a simple physical principle that the total weight relatively evenly distributed over a large number of nails and a wound is therefore almost impossible if sufficient nails are present and the weight of the fakir is low enough.