The book Arabian Nights is a series of stories with in a story. The classic folktales originate from various ethnic origins such as India, Persia and Arabia. The main story is that of the King Shahrayar and Shahrazad, the daughter of the Vizier.
King Shahrayar was a very courageous powerful King ruling over a great expanse of land. His younger brother Shahzaman ruled over a smaller area called Samarkand. King Shahrayar decided that he wanted to see his brother so he invited him to his palace. Prior to this Shahzaman had discovered his was wife in bed with a servant and consequently had her killed.
The king, seeing his brother so upset did everything that he could to try to cheer him up but nothing worked. So King Shahrayar planned a hunting trip for them. Shahzaman told him that he did not feel like going, he just wanted to stay home and mope. About mid day Shahzaman looked out of his window and saw a very interesting thing. King Shahrayar’s wife, the Queen, came out of her private area into the courtyard before Shahzaman’s window (for she did not know that Shahzaman had not gone hunting with her husband), with her were 20 servants. After they had entered the courtyard the servants removed their clothing, to show that there were 10 women (including concubines) and 10 men. As the servants began to have intercourse together the Queen called out specifically for one slave in particular who jumped down from a tree and began having intercourse with her. Shahzaman was shocked. However, it did make him feel better to know that he was not the only one in the world who could have this happen to them. He later recounted what he saw to his brother.
Shahrayar tricked his wife so that he could see the spectacle with is own eyes. The brothers swore off women but Shahrayar had something more sinister in mind. He took a noble’s daughter, married her, had his way with her that night and then had her killed the next morning. This pattern continued until Shahrazad decided to do something about it. Being the Vizier’s daughter she was safe. The Vizier was the king’s most trusted advisor and did not want to upset him. Shahrazad, though, had an idea after an argument with her father who refused to put his daughter’s life in jeopardy the Vizier offered her to the King who accepted. Each night she began to tell him stories at the end of the night when she grew sleepy she would tell the king “spare my life and you shall hear a story even more amazing.”
The King didn’t kill her and every night she told him stories of far away places, of Demon who granted wishes, of animals that talked and many more. Eventually through this time Shahrazad won not only the curiosity of the King but his trust and love. Shahrazad bore three children to King Shahrayar who did not have her killed but kept her as his Queen.
