Reading Notes: Arabian Nights, Part A

Image Source. Scheherazade.

The first character we are introduced to is the Sultan Schahriar. Upon learning that his wife cheated on him, he has her killed, and instead of stopping there, marries a new wife every day only to have the grand-vizier kill her the next morning... Everyone in town is worried, and the grand-vizier's daughter, Scheherazade, hatches a plan to bring an end to the madness which requires her to wed the Sultan and possibly be killed by him!As Scheherazade goes to sleep with the Sultan at night, her sister joins. The next morning, the sister asks to hear one of Scheherazade's stories, and the Sultan allows it.

Image Source. The
merchant and the genie.

Scheherazade tells the story of the merchant and the genie. While throwing stones, a wealthy merchant accidentally kills a genie's son without realizing. The genie threatens the merchant who begs for his life. While telling the story, the Sultan Schahriar has to leave and go about his duties for the day. He refrains from killing Scheherazade (although he would usually kill his new wife each morning) because he wants her to continue telling the story later. When the story of the genie and the merchant continues, we learn that they agree the merchant can live one year longer, and then he must com back to be killed by the genie for revenge. A year later, the merchant is ready to die, but some old men are with him when the Genie becomes and they begin telling a story of their own. Now we are listening to a story being told by someone within a story that is within the story we are reading... Hope this doesn't get too confusing.

One old man tells a story about almost killing these cows that were his slaves, and also his son, but then not killing them. It's not the best. Then, another old man tells his story, followed by a third. In the end, the genie lets the merchant live after all. Finished with this one, Scheherazade begins telling the Sultan the story of the fisherman. It is about a fisherman who brings a gold pot into his net with a genie inside. The genie, rather than granting the fisherman wishes, wants to kill the fisherman because he is so ungrateful after being trapped in the pot for so long. The fisherman tricks the genie to get back into the pot, and traps him once again. This leads Scheherazade into yet another story... who could've seen that one coming? Anyway, she keeps telling story after story, delaying her death by execution until she gets to the story of Aladdin in part B.

Story: Arabian Nights