Arabic insription on yataghan - translation requested

[Radu Transylvanicus]

I would have to agree with TVV, dolphin it is to me, and it has been inspired (if not made!) from the more grotesque European stylised animals of the Baroque Era and before. Italians the were champions of such portrays in arms and armour and they traded heavily with the Ottoman Empire and had a profund influence on arts. One can still see similar stuff on every fountain in artsy cities of Europe made before late 19th century.
And rather than being comprehended as a "totemic animal" dolphin was rather a sugestive maritime ornament. Taxonomy was practically inexistent then and knowledge was based more on fabulations and most large "fish" (cetaceans included) were all simply known as sea-monsters, especially outside Europe.
Here is an example of such representation: Boy with Dolphin, Dutch 18th century: http://chaudhary.thoughtbot.com/dev/...TAMP1130278229