The Thousand and One Nights, better known in the west as the Arabian Nights, is a compilation of stories written under the reign of the Abbasids. Most of the stories are of unknown origin, having survived orally in Indian and Arabian folklore.
The earliest historically identifiable details in the stories suggest that they were first gathered together in the late 8th century.
The earliest historically identifiable details in the stories suggest that they were first gathered together in the late 8th century.
The stories continue to be added to, with the collection probably reaching its present form in Cairo in the 15th century.
A Persian collection of nearly 200 stories, compiled between 988 and 1011, is probably the nucleus of the modern collection numbering 264 tales, first translated by the French Orientalist Antoine Galland (1646–1715) between 1704 and 1715.
The best-known English translations are those by Edward William Lane (1801–76) in 1840 and by Sir Richard Francis Burton between 1885 and 1888.
In the frame story, Scheherazade, legendary queen of Samarqand, relates one of these tales to her husband Schariar each night to keep him from killing her. By terminating each story before the climax and thereby retaining his interest, she wins a delay of execution for 1000 nights. The king finally relents and grants her a pardon on the thousand and first night.
Among the more popular of the Arabian Nights stories are Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba.
The phrase "Open Sesame' from One Thousand and One Nights may pertain to Babylonian magic practices with sesame oil.
A Persian collection of nearly 200 stories, compiled between 988 and 1011, is probably the nucleus of the modern collection numbering 264 tales, first translated by the French Orientalist Antoine Galland (1646–1715) between 1704 and 1715.
The best-known English translations are those by Edward William Lane (1801–76) in 1840 and by Sir Richard Francis Burton between 1885 and 1888.
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| A manuscript of the One Thousand and One Nights |
In the frame story, Scheherazade, legendary queen of Samarqand, relates one of these tales to her husband Schariar each night to keep him from killing her. By terminating each story before the climax and thereby retaining his interest, she wins a delay of execution for 1000 nights. The king finally relents and grants her a pardon on the thousand and first night.
Among the more popular of the Arabian Nights stories are Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba.
The phrase "Open Sesame' from One Thousand and One Nights may pertain to Babylonian magic practices with sesame oil.
Aladdin was actually Chinese
not an Arabian. The only reason he
became Arabian, was the Chinese fable, based in a Chinese town, was related to
a Frenchman by a Syrian story teller, and was added to the One Thousand and One
Nights in 1710.
In addition to their value as entertainment, The Arabian Nights stories have been extremely valuable to scholars as source material for the study of early Oriental life and habits.
Source Funk & Wagnells Encyclopedia
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| Aladdin finds the wonderful lamp inside the cave |
In addition to their value as entertainment, The Arabian Nights stories have been extremely valuable to scholars as source material for the study of early Oriental life and habits.
Source Funk & Wagnells Encyclopedia
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