In the Great Khan’s Tent

In this episode, we continue with the story of “The Porter, The Three Ladies of Baghdad, and the Three Dervishes: with Night IX, Night X, and the beginning of Night XI. We also begin to learn more about the three Dervishes with the beginning of the first Dervish’s story “The Story of the First Royal Dervish” in Night XI. This section of the One Thousand and One Nights also marks the first appearance of Harun al-Rashid, Jafar, and the executioner Mansur and we will continue to encounter them in one form or another from now on. This episode, much like the last episode, also continues the scientific wording referring to bodily anatomy.

In this episode, we end “The Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Baghdad” and move on to “The Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Baghdad” with the continuation of Night XVII and Night XVIII. We once again encounter two Jinn, the main dealings are with the Jinniyah with the other being an anonymous enemy of her, and see the type of help they provide. It is interesting that her help was stipulated with a warning to continue the punishment of her sisters unless she wants to be turned into a black dog as well. The story of the second lady of Baghdad is also highly engaging with the mystical elements that are incorporated within it, especially regarding the sister and the old lady, who we are never really informed if they are Jinn, magicians, or just illusions meant to punish the second lady for an unspecified supposed crime.

In this episode, we continue “The Story of Nur-ed-din Ali and His Son and of Shams-ud-din Mohammad and his Daughter”. We see here, for the first time, actual geographical destinations that do correspond in actuality to the location where Nur-ed-din begins his journey in Cario, going to Bilbais, Jerusalem, Aleppo, and finally ending in Basra. We also have mention of a town in Egypt, Qalyub or Kalyub as Nur-ed-din tries to throw off his scent as his brother might try to follow him. References here are also made on how people perceived travelers during this time, such as the interaction between the Vizier of Basra and Nur-ed-din, how they have to concoct a story in order to adopt those coming from outside of their known environs. Lastly, the special episode that was supposed to be out today will be delayed to our next upload due to some unforeseen circumstances.

In this series of special episodes, I hope to highlight the historical background for the One Thousand and One Nights, by examining the history of the work, the original manuscripts, translators and translations, and how it found a new iteration in Children's Literature. In this episode I focus on my own academic/scholarly history to help the listener understand where I am approaching this topic from and I discuss the very first manuscript from the 9th Century CE, of which only a fragment remains.

In this episode we look at the beginning of the Thousand and One Nights with Night I and Night II with the story of the Merchant and the Jinn. Note the role that the Jinn play in these tales and how the structure of the narrative is formed. We also look at the beginning of Night III with the opening of the Tale of the Fisherman which is one of the more commonly known tales. As you are listening, pay attention to the deeper layers and meaning of what these tales are trying to convey.