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The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights [NOOK Book]
( 106 )
This volume reproduces the 1932 Modern Library edition, for which Bennett A. Cerf chose the most famous and representative stories from Sir Richard F. Burton's multivolume translation, and includes Burton's extensive and acclaimed explanatory notes. These tales, including Alaeddin; or, the Wonderful Lamp, Sinbad the Seaman and Sinbad the Landsman, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, have entered into the popular imagination, demonstrating that Shahrazad's spell remains unbroken.
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate!
praise be to Allah, the beneficient king, the creator of the universe, lord of the three worlds, who set up the firmament without pillars in its stead, and who stretched out the earth even as a bed, and grace, and prayer, blessing be upon our Lord Mohammed, lord of apostolic men, and upon his family and companion-train, prayer and blessings enduring and grace which unto the day of doom shall remain, amen! 'o thou of the three worlds sovereign!
And afterwards. Verily the works and words of those gone before us have become instances and examples to men of our modern day, that folk may view what admonishing chances befel other folk and may therefrom take warning; and that they may peruse the annals of antique peoples and all that hath betided them, and be thereby ruled and restrained: Praise, therefore, be to Him who hath made the histories of the Past an admonition unto the Present!
Now of such instances are the tales called "A Thousand Nights and a Night," together with their far-famed legends and wonders. Therein it is related (but Allah is All-knowing of His hidden things and All-ruling and All-honoured and All-giving and All-gracious and All-merciful!)
1. that, in tide of yore and in time long gone before, there was a King of the Kings of the Banu Sasan in the Islands of India and China, a Lord of armies and guards and servants and dependents.
2. He left only two sons, one in the prime of manhood and the other yet a youth, while both were Knights and Braves, albeit the elder was a doughtier horseman than the younger. So he succeeded to the empire; when he ruled the land and lorded it over his lieges with justice so exemplary that he was beloved by all the peoples of his capital and of his kingdom. His name was King Shahryar,
3. and he made his younger brother, Shah Zaman hight, King of Samarcand in Barbarian-land. These two ceased not to abide in their several realms and the law was ever carried out in their dominions; and each ruled his own kingdom, with equity and fair-dealing to his subjects, in extreme solace and enjoyment; and this condition continually endured for a score of years. But at the end of the twentieth twelve month the elder King yearned for a sight of his younger brother and felt that he must look upon him once more. So he took counsel with his Wazir
4. about visiting him, but the Minister, finding the project unadvisable, recommended that a letter be written and a present be sent under his charge to the younger brother with an invitation to visit the elder. Having accepted this advice the King forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem-encrusted gold; Mamelukes, or white slaves; beautiful handmaids, high-breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly. He then wrote a letter to Shah Zaman expressing his warm love and great wish to see him, ending with these words, "We therefore hope of the favour and affection of the beloved brother that he will condescend to bestir himself and turn his face us-wards."
| Story of King Shahryar and his Brother | 3 | |
| 1 | The Fisherman and the Jinni | 31 |
| 2 | The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad | 58 |
| 3 | The Tale of the Three Apples | 152 |
| 4 | Tale of Nur Al-Din Ali and his Son Badr Al-Din Hasan | 162 |
| 5 | Tale of Ghanim Bin Ayyub, the Distraught, the Thrall O'Love | 220 |
| 6 | The Tale of the Birds and Beasts and the Carpenter | 254 |
| 7 | The Hermits | 266 |
| 8 | The Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman | 270 |
| 9 | Hatim of the Tribe of Tayy | 350 |
| 10 | Tale of Ma'an Son of Zaidah and the Badawi | 352 |
| 11 | The City of Many-Columned Iram and Abdullah Son of Abi Kalibah | 354 |
| 12 | The Sweep and the Noble Lady | 360 |
| 13 | Ali the Persian | 365 |
| 14 | The Man Who Stole the Dish of Gold Wherein the Dog Ate | 370 |
| 15 | The Ruined Man Who Became Rich Again through a Dream | 374 |
| 16 | The Ebony Horse | 376 |
| 17 | How Abu Hasan Brake Wind | 409 |
| 18 | The Angel of Death with the Proud King and the Devout Man | 412 |
| 19 | Sindbad the Seaman and Sindbad the Landsman | 414 |
| 20 | The City of Brass | 491 |
| 21 | The Lady and Her Five Suitors | 529 |
| 22 | Judar and His Brethren | 538 |
| 23 | Julnar the Sea-Born and Her Son King Badr Basim of Persia | 584 |
| 24 | Khalifah the Fisherman of Baghdad | 631 |
| 25 | Abu Kir the Dyer and Abu Sir the Barber | 668 |
| 26 | The Sleeper and the Waker | 700 |
| 27 | Alaeddin; or, the Wonderful Lamp | 731 |
| 28 | Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves | 838 |
| 29 | Ma'Aruf the Cobbler and his Wife Fatimah | 869 |
| Conclusion | 922 |
1. To the minds of a Western audience, The Arabian Nights is the most important work we have from medieval Arabic. Its influence can be seen throughout Western culture, from references in Jane Eyre to the plots of cartoons. What are some examples of the direct influence The Arabian Nights has had on Western literature or culture? Why did readers, then and now, enjoy it?
2. Burton has been quoted as having said, "The main difficulty, however, is to erase the popular impression that the 'Nights' is a book for babies, a 'classic for children'; whereas its lofty morality, its fine character-painting, its artful development of the story, and its original snatches of rare poetry, fit it for the reading of men and women, and these, too, of no puerile or vulgar wit. In fact, its prime default is that it flies too high." How does one account for the fact that, historically, The Arabian Nights has been seen as a children's book? Is it more appropriate for adults than for children given its content and depth? What are the main attributes that make it suitable for either audience?
3. The structure of The Arabian Nights is an entire study in itself. Debate has raged over the tales' relation to one another and to the overall structure of the work. Is the narrative structure effective? Are the tales related to one another or are they simply a mixture of unrelated stories bound by a narrative created solely for that purpose? How important is the setting of The Arabian Nights to the interpretation of each individual tale?
4. One of the most important moral concepts in The Arabian Nights is that of fidelity. From the very beginning of the work, fidelity isthe driving force that binds the brothers together and that provides the backdrop for the telling of the tales. Fidelity of all kinds is explored in The Arabian Nights: that between a husband and wife, between brothers, and between a lord and his servant. Describe different depictions of fidelity in specific tales and explain how they are central to the advancement of the plot and the characters. Why is such a high premium placed on fidelity throughout the book?
5. Morals and ethics are among the most important subjects dealt with throughout The Arabian Nights. Describe the moral system as it is depicted throughout the course of the book, giving examples of important moral concepts in specific tales. How do the morals serve to propel the plot of the tales? How can one reconcile the bawdiness of these tales with the serious moral and ethical messages conveyed? Does the overt sexuality and "inappropriate" content reduce in any way the impact or importance of these moral messages?
Daithai
Posted December 5, 2009
All the effort went into creating a visually stunning book. The cover, the illustrations, even the page numbers are beautiful. If only they had bothered to check the gally proofs for typos!
8 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This story has been one of my favorites since I was a young child. My grandmother read the stories to me and I always found them facisnating. Now I am doing the same for my granddaughter, for whom I purchased this particular book as a Christmas gift. She is 10 years old and in 4th grade, and this book is just a tad difficult to read at that age; however, she is an extremely good reader, reading already at junior high level and I now she will love and enjoy this book just as much as I did at her age. I bought 2 of them; one for her and one for me, as I like to read and re-read the stories of Sheherezade, and in this way we keep books both in her house and my house, so when she visits we can read it together. Now she can read to me.
This particular edition is bound in beautiful rich-colored bonded leather, with gold writing and it's great to hold and feel its high quality. The thin, beautiful, parchment-like paper of its pages are also great and remind the reader of very old, very high quality books from Europe. I grew up in Europe and remember books looking and smelling like this one. The translation of Sir Richard Burton is a great edition of a fabulous book that has fascinated and enthralled many people through the ages. This book is fantastic!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.silvershields
Posted June 22, 2011
One Thousand and One Nights is most definitely a required read for anyone who loves literature. The poetic style incorporated by the various authors adds not only detail, but interest to the tales.
Almost everyone is familiar with Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba, but there are other great tales such as the story of Prince Behram and Princess al-Datma (which has an excellent spin on the 'battle of the sexes' concept--though this story is not for feminists or people easily offended), the Genie bartering for a man's life by listening to tales, which reflects the greatness of this book--it's a tale within a tale (Princess Shahrazad entertaining King Shahryar in order to survive). The genie story is even more in-depth, whereby the princess is telling the story of a genie who is listening to stories by people trying to save a cursed man's life, which reflects the princess trying to save her own life! It's complex, but fascinating.
The book is beautiful, and the coloring chosen was perfect, as blues, golds, and turquoise are the divine colors within Islam. One issue with an above review I have is that I am a Humanities professor, and scholars do not believe that it "contains some of the oldest stories ever told" nor that it is "considered the first book ever written." True, it is a compilation of centuries-old Islamic, Persian, and Arabic tales, but many of them are based on much older Egyptian and Greek myths, and the stories were not put together until between the 10th-15th centuries. The Iliad and Odyssey are much older, and the Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest 'book' ever written. Just thought it was important to clear up any confusion. But in terms of the book, it's a must-read, and this edition is excellent.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Taz4591
Posted September 22, 2010
I showed this book to my grandmother (She was an English teacher and has a veryexpansive library filled with collectible books) and was very pleased to have her approval. Many scholers believe The Arabian Nights (originally published One Thousand One Nights) to contain some of the oldest stories ever told. By many, it is considered the first book ever written. This edition is a little flamboyantly presented, but does contain beautiful illustrations. It is said that all stories somehow find their root in One Thousand One Nights. However, many stories have been taken out and added through the years with some edtions containing more and some less than "one thousand nights." For this reason, you would be very hardpressed to ever find two identical compilations.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 23, 2010
This is an all around terrible format for the nook... it's hard to go from story to story
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a choice of Tales from the Arabian Nights in the Burton translation (not easy to read, but one gets accustomed to it with time). However, the choice of tales in this gorgeous, heirloom style edition is based on the very first European translation -- the Galland version... So by reading this edition, you are actually killing two birds with one stone -- the Burton text and the Galland contents!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have read thousands of books, and this is one of the most sumptuous books I have ever laid hands on! Elegantly, beautifully designed and richly illustrated, it has the classic tales that people love: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp,The Tale of Scheherazade... This is not a book recommended for children, rather it is a keepsake book, one you put in a special place and handle with care, a book you would hand down to your children only when they become adults. The stories are a fun read, full of rich detail and exotic locales.The Arabian Knights immediately draws you in and keeps you fully engaged in the stories from the first page to the last. A definite recommend!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 30, 2000
This is great tale that broadens your veiw of the large world that we live in. It gives you a cultural idea of how the eastern people communicated and lived through their story telling.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I just received this today and I almost cried at the incredible beauty of this book. When I first opened the cover, already I was mystified by the illustrations. It's a highly mesmerizing book with stories that still delights readers to this day.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.theViewOfOthers
Posted March 26, 2011
Im still young, the novel contains some old english, but after a whlie you get used to it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MDSTX
Posted March 22, 2011
This is such a beautiful book, I grew up reading these stories and it was wonderful to find the leatherbound version.
I do have a big issue with it... I am not understanding why is it called Arabian Nights, Shahrazad was in fact Persian. The original title was 1001 Nights so I am not sure why the translator chose to change it to an incorrect one.
I have Iranian friends (Persians) who were pretty offended that such an important piece of Persian fiction is atributed in the title to... a different people.
Overall, good read, beautiful binding.
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Arabian Nights is a collection of stories-short stories of sort-that was told to a King in the East so the storyteller can escape or prolong death which was actually a punishment for a misdeed done. These stories were told at night tot he king, thus, Arabian nights. The storyteller ends everytime morning came and the king, went to bed.
These stories are a mammoth of events that happened in the Middle East some years back. They are magical and fairy tale like. I have not read these stories seriously before, until lately when I got a god copy of the book in electronic form. My favorite is Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the grandest of them all. I also like The Flying Carpet. For those who like a glimpse of Middle eastern culture and literature, these stories is the best!!!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KathrynWhite
Posted January 29, 2011
This version of the classic collection of stories is a big old mess. It is basically a solid block of text. There aren't any meaningful divisions between stories at all, and it's a monster pain in the rear to read. I am looking for another version now, as this one is intensely unreadable.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2011
This item arrived exactly on the date it was expected. Cover is beautiful and pictures are vivid.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 24, 2011
When I first saw this book and its brothers, I fell in love. The cover, the internal illustrations, the stories, all worth the money.
The actual text of the stories is written in high literary language, such as "Quoth Scheherazade that night, "It hath come to me, O auspicious King, that..."" which makes it a difficult read, but boy is it worth it!
I'd say that this book is good for anyone with a 10th grade reading level and above, with an exception for the advanced readers out there.
Treasure_Reader
Posted November 28, 2010
Rarely do you see these classic pieces of literature rendered with such sophisticated elegance and beauty, faithfully honoring and respecting the equally unique, creative literary material loved by generations of readers. I have been enjoying them all, and eagerly look forward to each new addition to the series.
Hopefully, the publisher (who appears to be unreachable) will keep releasing more of these fine collected works, including such classic writers as Baum, Milne, Kipling, Twain, London, Melville, Hemingway, Stoker, Shelley, as well as other poets like Virgil, Longfellow, Keats, Eliot, Hawthorne, and Blake.
Time will tell, but hope is alive. Get on board with these fantastic masterpieces of literature, and be swept away in worlds of imagination!
AmandaCherie
Posted August 10, 2010
I think this book is beautiful, but my copy had a ton of gold dust on top. I had golden dust EVERYWHERE when I tried to read it. The writing is small and hard to understand. It reminds me of reading the bible, haha.
I'm still glad I got this for Christmas, but I won't be reading it very often.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.missmarienyc
Posted February 18, 2010
Aside from the amazing tales in The Arabian Nights, this copy makes a wonderful gift. The cover is ornate and the pictures inside are beautiful. I've been purchasing these Leatherbound Classics as gifts for a friend and her eyes widen every time I present her with a new copy for her collection.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 31, 2010
Love the well done book. Beautiful cover and illustrations. Great to keep in a library. Keep the classics coming in this version.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 23, 2010
I was Very excited when I purchased this book since I am a huge fan of the leather bound editions. It's a story telling book that takes you into a different world from the everyday life. worth every penny
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Overview
Full of mischief, valor, ribaldry, and romance, The Arabian Nights has enthralled readers for centuries. These are the tales that saved the life of Shahrazad, whose husband, the king, executed each of his wives after a single night of marriage. Beginning an enchanting story each evening, Shahrazad always withheld the ending: A thousand and one nights later, her life was spared forever.This volume reproduces the 1932 Modern Library edition, for which Bennett A. Cerf chose the most famous and representative stories from Sir Richard F. Burton's multivolume translation, and includes Burton's extensive and acclaimed explanatory notes. These tales, including Alaeddin; or, the Wonderful Lamp, ...