He now turned to Sikar Diun, who replied in a friendly tone, "She is yours, for you have fulfilled the conditions, and you have only now to give her ornaments." "What kind of ornaments?" asked he. "Instead of ornaments," replied the traitor, "we desire to receive a book containing the history of the Nile. If you bring it us, she is wholly yours, but if not, there is no marriage to be thought of." "Where is it to be found?" "I cannot tell you myself." "Well, then," returned Wakhs El Fellat, "if I do not bring you the book, Shama is lost to me; all present are witnesses to this." He went out with these words, pushing his way through the crowded assembly, and Sudun behind him, till they reached their tents. "Why did you promise that," said Sudun, "let us rather overcome them with the sword, and take Shama from them." "Not so," replied Wakhs El Fellat, "I will only possess her honourably." "And yet you do not even know how to find the book," said Sudun; "rather listen to my advice, retire to my fortress, and leave me in their power." "I would never act thus," said Wakhs El Fellat, "though I should suffer death." After these and similar speeches, supper was brought in, and each retired to his sleeping apartment. But Wakhs El Fellat had scarcely entered his room when Shama came in. "What have you done," said she, "and what engagement have you undertaken? How can you fulfil this condition? Do you not see that their only object is to destroy you, or at least to get rid of you? I have come to warn you again, and I say to you once more, take me with you to Sudun's castle, where we can live at peace, and do not act as they tell you." "I will carry out my engagement," he replied; "I will not possess you like a coward, even though I should be cut to pieces with swords." Upon this, Shama was angry and left him, while he lay down to rest, but could not sleep. He therefore rose up, saddled and mounted his horse and rode away, without knowing where, abandoning himself wholly to the will of God. He wandered about thus for several days, until he reached a lonely tower. He knocked at the door, and a voice answered, "Welcome, O thou who hast separated thyself from thy companions; enter without fear, O brave Saif, son of Zul Yezn." When he pushed the door it opened, and his eyes beheld a noble and venerable old man, from whose appearance it was at once obvious that he busied himself with the strictest life and fear of God. "Welcome," cried he again; "if you had travelled from east to West you would have found no one who could show you how to obtain the book you seek as well as I can, for I have dwelt here awaiting your arrival for sixty years." "But that was before I was born," said Wakhs El Fellat to himself. He then asked aloud, "By what name did you address me just now?" "O Saif," answered the old man, "that is your true name, for you are a sword (Saif) to the Abyssinians; but whom do you worship?" "O my master," was the reply, "the Abyssinians worship Saturn (Sukhal) but I am in perplexity, and know not whom to worship." "My son," replied the old man, "worship Him who has reared the heavens over us without pillars, and who has rested the earth on water; the only and eternal God, the Lord who is only and alone to be reverenced. I worship Him and none other beside him, for I follow the religion of Abraham." "What is your name?" asked Wakhs El Fellat. "I am called Shaikh Gyat." "What declaration must I make," he asked the old man, "to embrace your religion?" "Say 'There is no God but God, and Abraham is the Friend of God.' If you make this profession, you will be numbered among the believers." He at once repeated the formula, and Shaikh Gyat was much pleased, and devoted the night to teaching him the history of Abraham and his religion, and the forms of worship. Towards morning he said, "O my son, whenever you advance to battle, say, 'God is great, grant me victory, O God, and destroy the infidels,' and help will be near you. Now pursue your journey, but leave your horse here until your return. Enter the valley before you, under the protection of God, and after three days you will meet some one who will aid you." Wakhs El Fellat set out on that road, and after three days he met a horseman who saluted him, and exclaimed, "Welcome, Saif Zul Yezn, for you bring happiness to this neighbourhood." Saif returned his salutation, and asked, "How do you know me, and how do you know my name?" "I am not a brave or renowned warrior," was the answer, "but one of the maidens of this country and my mother taught me your name." "What is your name and that of your mother?" "My mother's name is Alka," answered she, "and I am called Taka." When he heard this he was greatly rejoiced, for he remembered that Shaikh Gyat had said to him, "O thou, whose destiny will be decided by Alka and Taka." "O noble virgin," said he, "where is your mother, Alka?" "Look round," she replied; and he saw a very large and lofty city at some distance. "Know," said she, "that 360 experienced philosophers dwell in that city. My mother Alka is their superior, and directs all their affairs and actions. She knew that you would come to this neighbourhood in search of a book concerning the Nile, which was written by Japhet, the son of Noah, and she wishes you to attain your end by her means. She also informed me of your coming, and promised me to you, saying, 'You shall have no other husband but him.' We expected you to- day, and she sent me to meet you, adding, 'Warn him not to enter the town by daylight, or it will be his destruction.' Wait here, therefore, till nightfall, and only approach the city after dark. Turn to the right along the wall, and stand still when you reach the third tower, where we will await you. As soon as we see you we will throw you a rope; bind it round your waist, and we will draw you up. The rest will be easy." "But why need you give yourselves all this trouble?" said Saif Zul Yezn. "Know," replied she, "that the inhabitants of this city have been informed of your approaching arrival by their books, and are aware that you are about to carry away their book, which they hold in superstitious reverence. On the first day of each month they repair to the building where it is preserved; and they adore it and seek counsel from it respecting their affairs. They have also a king whose name is Kamrun. When they knew that you were coming for the book they constructed a talisman against you. They have made a copper statue, and fixed a brazen horn in its hand, and have stationed it at the gate of the city. If you enter, the statue will sound the horn, and it will only do so upon your arrival. They would then seize you and put you to death. On this account we desire to baffle their wisdom by drawing you up to the walls of the city at another place." "May God reward you a thousandfold," replied he; "but go now, and announce my arrival to your mother." She went away, and he approached the city in the darkness of night, and turned towards the third tower on the right, where he found Alka and Taka. When they recognised him, they immediately threw him the rope, which he fastened about him. When he was drawn up, they descended from the wall, and were about to proceed to Alka's house, when the talisman suddenly acted, and the statue blew the horn loudly. "Hasten to our house," cried Alka; and they succeeded in reaching it safely and barred the doors, when the noise increased. The whole population of the city rose up, and the streets were filled. "What is this disturbance about?" asked Saif. "This is all due," replied Alka, "to the alarm sounded by the statue, because you have entered the town. There will be a great meeting held to-morrow, where all the wise men will assemble, to attempt to discover the whereabouts of the intruder; but by God's help, I will guide them wrong, and confuse their counsels. Go to our neighbour the fisherman," added she to her daughter, "and see what he has caught." She went, and brought news that he had taken a large fish, of the size of a man. "Take this piece of gold," said her mother, "and bring us the fish;" and when she did so, she told her to clean it, which was done. Food was then brought in, and they ate and talked. The night passed quietly, but on the following morning Alka ordered Saif Zul Yezn to undress, and to hide in the skin of the fish. She put her mouth to the mouth of the fish, and took a long rope, which she fastened under Saif's armpits. She then let him down into a deep well, and fastened him there, saying, "Remain here, till I come back." She then left him, and went to the great hall of the King, where the divan was already assembled, and the King had taken his seat on the throne. All rose up when she entered, and when she had seated herself, the King said to her, "O mother, did you not hear the blast of the horn yesterday, and why did you not come out with us?" "I did hear it," she replied, "but I did not heed it." "But you know," said he, "that the sound can only be heard upon the arrival of the stranger who desires to take the book." "I know it, O King; but permit me to choose forty men from among those assembled here." She did so, and selected ten from among the forty again. She then said to them, "Take a Trakhtramml (sandboard on which the Arabs practise geomancy and notation) and look and search." They did so, but had scarcely finished when they looked at each other in amazement. They destroyed their calculation, and began a second, and confused this, too, and began a third, upon which they became quite confounded. "What are you doing there?" asked the King at last. "You go on working and obliterating your work; what have you discovered?" "O King," replied they, "we find that the stranger has entered the town, but not by any gate. He appears to have passed in between Heaven and earth, like a bird. After this, a fish swallowed him, and carried him down into some dark water." "Are you fools?" asked the King angrily; and turning to Alka, continued, "Have you ever seen a man flying between Heaven and earth, and afterwards swallowed by a fish, which descends with him into dark water?" "O King," replied she, "I always forbid the wise men to eat heavy food, for it disturbs their understanding and weakens their penetration; but they will not heed me." At this the King was angry, and immediately drove them from the hall. But Alka said, "It will be plain to-morrow what has happened." She left the hall, and when she reached home, she drew Saif Zul Yezn out of the well, and he dressed himself again. They sat down, and Alka said, "I have succeeded in confounding their deliberations to- day! and there will be a great assembly to-morrow, when I must hide you in a still more out-of-the-way place." After this they supped, and went to rest. Next morning Alka called her daughter, and said, "Bring me the gazelle." When it was brought her, she said, "Bring me the wings of an eagle." Taka gave them to her, and she bound them on the back of the gazelle. She then took a pair of compasses, which she fixed in the ceiling of the room. She next took two other pairs of compasses, which she fixed in the ceiling of the room. She next took two other pairs of compasses, and tied one between the fore feet, and the other between the hind feet of the gazelle. She then tied a rope to the compasses in the roof, and the two ends to the other pairs. But she made Saif Zul Yezn lie down in such a position that his head was between the feet of the gazelle. She then said to him, "Remain here till I come back"; and went to the King, with whom she found a very numerous assemblage of the wise men. As soon as she entered, the King made her sit beside him on the throne. "O my mother Alka," he said, "I could not close an eye last night from anxiety concerning yesterday's events." "Have you no wise men," returned she, "who eat the bread of the divan?" She then turned to them, saying, "Select the wisest among you!" and they chose the wisest among them. She ordered them to take the sandboard again, but they became so confused that they were obliged to begin again three times from the beginning. "What do you discover?" said the King angrily. "O our master," replied they, "he whom we seek has been carried away by a beast of the desert, which is flying with him between Heaven and earth." "How is this?" said the King to Alka; "have you ever seen anything like it?" He seized his sword in a rage, and three fled, and he killed four of the others. When Alka went home, she released Saif, and told him what had happened. Next morning Alka took the gazelle, and slaughtered it in a copper kettle. She then took a golden mortar, and reversed it over it, and said to Saif Zul Yezn, "Sit on this mortar till I come back." She then went to the divan, and chose out six wise men, who again took the sandboard, and began again three times over in confusion. "Alas," said the King, in anger, "What misfortune do you perceive?" "O our master," they exclaimed in consternation, "our understanding is confused, for we see him sitting on a golden mountain, which is in the midst of a sea of blood, surrounded by a copper wall." The King was enraged, and broke up the assembly, saying, "O Alka, I will now depend on you alone." "To-morrow I will attempt to show you the stranger," she replied. When she came home, she related to Saif what had happened, and said, "I shall know by to-morrow what to tell the King to engage his attention, and prevent him from pursuing you." Next morning she found Taka speaking to Saif Zul Yezn alone; and she asked her, "What does he wish?" "Mother," replied Taka, "he wishes to go to the King's palace, to see him and the divan." "What you wish shall be done," said she to Saif, "but you must not speak." He assented to the condition, and she dressed him as her attendant, gave him a sandboard, and went with him to the King, who said to her, "I could not sleep at all last night, for thinking of the stranger for whom we are seeking." "Now that the affair is in my hands," returned she, "you will find me a sufficient protection against him." She immediately ordered Saif to give her the sandboard. She took it, and when she had made her calculations, she said joyfully to the King, "O my lord, I can give you the welcome news of the flight of the stranger, owing to his dread of you and your revenge." When the King heard this, he rent his clothes, slapped his face, and said, "He would not have departed, without having taken the book." "I cannot see if he has taken anything," replied she. "This is the first of the month," said the King, "come and let us see if it is missing." He then went with a large company to the building where the book was kept. Alka turned away from the King for a moment to say to Saif, "Do not enter with us, for if you enter, the case will open of itself, and the book will fall into your hands. This would at once betray you, and you would be seized and put to death, and all my labour would have been in vain." She then left him, and rejoined the King. When they reached the building, the doors were opened, and when the King entered, they found the book. They immediately paid it the customary honours, and protracted this species of worship, while Saif stood at the door, debating with himself whether to enter or not. At last his impatience overcame him, and he entered, and at the same instant the casket was broken to pieces, and the book fell out. The King then ordered all to stand up, and the book rolled to Saif Zul Yezn. Upon this all drew their swords, and rushed upon him. Saif drew his sword also, and cried "God is great!" as Shaikh Gyat had taught him. He continued to fight and defend himself, and struggled to reach the door. The entire town arose in tumult to pursue him, when he stumbled over a dead body, and was seized. "Let me not see his face," cried the King, "but throw him into the mine." This mine was eighty yards deep, and had not been opened for sixty years. It was closed by a heavy leaden cover, which they replaced, after they had loaded him with chains, and thrown him in. Saif sat there in the darkness, greatly troubled, and lamenting his condition to Him who never sleeps. Suddenly, a side wall of the mine opened, and a figure came forth which approached and called him by his name. "Who are you?" asked Saif. "I am a woman named Akissa, and inhabit the mountain where the Nile rises. We are a nation who hold the faith of Abraham. A very pious man lives below us in a beautiful palace. But an evil Jinni named Mukhtatif lived near us also, who loved me, and demanded me in marriage of my father. He consented from fear, but I was unwilling to marry an evil being who was a worshipper of fire. 'How can you promise me in marriage to an infidel?' said I to my father. 'I shall thereby escape his malice myself,' replied he. I went out and wept, and complained to the pious man about the affair. 'Do you know who will kill him?' said he to me, and I answered, 'No.' 'I will direct you to him who has cut off his hand,' said he. 'His name is Saif Zul Yezn, and he is now in the city of King Kamrun, in the mine.' Thereupon he brought me to you, and I come as you see me, to guide you to my country, that you may kill Mukhtatif, and free the earth from his wickedness." She then moved him, and shook him, and all his chains fell off. She lifted him on her shoulders, and carried him to the palace of the Shaikh, who was named Abbas Salam. Here he heard a voice crying, "Enter, Saif Zul Yezn." He did so, and found a grave and venerable old man, who gave him a very friendly reception, saying, "Wait till to-morrow, when Akissa will come to guide you to the castle of Mukhtatif." He remained with him for the night, and when Akissa arrived next morning, the old man told her to hasten, that the world might be soon rid of the monster. They then left this venerable man, and when they had walked awhile, Akissa said to Saif, "Look before you." He did so, and perceived a black mass at some distance. "This is the castle of the evil- doer," said she, "but I cannot advance a step further than this." Saif therefore pursued his way alone, and when he came near the castle, he walked round it to look for the entrance. As he was noticing the extraordinary height of the castle, which was founded on the earth, but appeared to overtop the clouds, he saw a window open, and several people looked out, who pointed at him with their fingers, exclaiming, "That is he, that is he!" They threw him a rope, which they directed him to bind round him. They drew him up by it, when he found himself in the presence of three hundred and sixty damsels, who saluted him by his name.

* * * * *

(Here Habicht's fragment ends.)



SCOTT'S MSS. AND TRANSLATIONS.



In 1800, Jonathan Scott, LL.D., published a volume of "Tales, Anecdotes, and Letters, translated from the Arabic and Persian," based upon a fragmentary MS., procured by J. Anderson in Bengal, which included the commencement of the work (Nos. 1-3) in 29 Nights; two tales not divided into Nights (Nos. 264 and 135) and No. 21.

Scott's work includes these two new tales (since republished by Kirby and Clouston), with the addition of various anecedotes, &c., derived from other sources. The "Story of the Labourer and the Chair" has points of resemblance to that of "Malek and the Princess Chirine" (Shirin?) in the Thousand and One Days; and also to that of "Tuhfet El Culoub" (No. 183a) in the Breslau Edition. The additional tales in this MS. and vol. of translations are marked "A" under Scott in our Tables. Scott published the following specimens (text and translation) in Ouseley's Oriental Collections (1797 and following years) No. 135m (i. pp. 245-257) and Introduction (ii. pp. 160-172; 228- 257). The contents are fully given in Ouseley, vol. ii. pp. 34, 35.

Scott afterwards acquired an approximately complete MS. in 7 vols., written in 1764 which was brought from Turkey by E. Wortley Montague. Scott published a table of contents (Ouseley, ii. pp. 25-34), in which, however, the titles of some few of the shorter tales, which he afterwards translated from it, are omitted, while the titles of others are differently translated. Thus "Greece" of the Table becomes "Yemen" in the translation; and "labourer" becomes "sharper." As a specimen, he subsequently printed the text and translation of No. 145 (Ouseley, ii. pp. 349-367).

This MS., which differs very much from all others known, is now in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

In 1811, Scott published an edition of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments, in 6 vols., vol. 1 containing a long introduction, and vol. 6, including a series of new tales from the Oxford MS. (There is a small paper edition; and also a large paper edition, the latter with frontispieces, and an Appendix including a table of the tales contained in the MS.) It had originally been Scott's intention to retranslate the MS.; but he appears to have found it beyond his powers. He therefore contented himself with re-editing Galland, altering little except the spelling of the names, and saying that Galland's version is in the main so correct that it would be useless repetition to go over the work afresh. Although he says that he found many of the tales both immoral and puerile, he translated most of those near the beginning, and omitted much more (including several harmless and interesting tales, such as No. 152) towards the end of his MS. than near the beginning. The greater part of Scott's additional tales, published in vol. 6, are included in the composite French and German editions of Gauttier and Habicht; but, except Nos. 208, 209, and 215, republished in my "New Arabian Nights," they have not been reprinted in England, being omitted in all the many popular versions which are professedly based upon Scott, even in the edition in 4 vols., published in 1882, which reprints Scott's Preface.

The edition of 1882 was published about the same time as one of the latest reissues of Lane's Thousand and One Nights; and the Saturday Review of Nov. 4, 1882 (p. 609), published an article on the Arabian Nights, containing the following amusing passage: "Then Jonathan Scott, LL.D. Oxon, assures the world that he intended to retranslate the tales given by Galland; but he found Galland so adequate on the whole that he gave up the idea, and now reprints Galland, with etchings by M. Lalauze, giving a French view of Arab life. Why Jonathan Scott, LL.D., should have thought to better Galland, while Mr. Lane's version is in existence, and has just been reprinted, it is impossible to say."

The most interesting of Scott's additional tales, with reference to ordinary editions of The Nights, are as follows:—

No. 204b is a variant of No. 37.

No. 204c is a variant of 3e, in which the wife, instead of the husband, acts the part of a jealous tyrant. (Compare Cazotte's story of Halechalbe.)

No. 204e. Here we have a reference to the Nesnas, which only appears once in the ordinary versions of The Nights (No. 132b; Burton, v., p. 333).

No. 206b. is a variant of No. 156.

No. 207c. This relates to a bird similar to that in the Jealous Sisters (No. 198), and includes a variant of 3ba.

No. 207h. Another story of enchanted birds. The prince who seeks them encounters an "Oone" under similar circumstances to those under which Princess Parizade (No. 198) encounters the old durwesh. The description is hardly that of a Marid, with which I imagine the Ons are wrongly identified.

No. 208 contains the nucleus of the famous story of Aladdin (No. 193).

No. 209 is similar to No. 162; but we have again the well incident of No. 3ba, and the exposure of the children as in No. 198.

No. 215. Very similar to Hasan of Bassorah (No. 155). As Sir R. F. Burton (vol. viii., p. 60, note) has called in question my identification of the Islands of WakWak with the Aru Islands near New Guinea, I will quote here the passages from Mr. A. R. Wallace's Malay Archipelago (chap. 31) on which I based it:—"The trees frequented by the birds are very lofty. . . . . One day I got under a tree where a number of the Great Paradise birds were assembled, but they were high up in the thickest of the foliage, and flying and jumping about so continually that I could get no good view of them. . . . . Their voice is most extraordinary. At early morn, before the sun has risen, we hear a loud cry of 'Wawk—wawk—wawk, w k—w k—w k,' which resounds through the forest, changing its direction continually. This is the Great Bird of Paradise going to seek his breakfast. . . . . The birds had now commenced what the people here call 'sacaleli,' or dancing-parties, in certain trees in the forest, which are not fruit-trees as I at first imagined, but which have an immense head of spreading branches and large but scattered leaves, giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit their plumes. On one of these trees a dozen or twenty full-plumaged male birds assemble together, raise up their wings, stretch out their necks, and elevate their exquisite plumes, keeping them in a continual vibration. Between whiles they fly across from branch to branch in great excitement, so that the whole tree is filled with waving plumes in every variety of attitude and motion."

No. 216bc appears to be nearly the same as No. 42.

No. 225 is a variant of No. 135q.



WEIL'S TRANSLATION.



The only approximately complete original German translation is "Tausend und eine Nacht. Arabische Erzaehlungen. Zum Erstenmale aus dem Urtexte vollstaendig und treu uebersetzt von Dr. Gustav Weil," four vols., Stuttgart. The first edition was in roy. 8vo, and was published at Stuttgart and Pforzheim in 1839-1842; the last volume I have not seen; it is wanting in the copy in the British Museum. This edition is divided into Nights, and includes No. 25b. In the later editions, which are in small square 8vo, but profusely illustrated, like the larger one, this story is omitted (except No. 135m, which the French editors include with it), though Galland's doubtful stories are retained; and there is no division into Nights. The work has been reprinted several times, and the edition quoted in our Table is described as "Zweiter Abdruck der dritten vollstandig umgearbeiteten, mit Anmerkungen und mit einer Einleitung versehenen Auflage" (1872).

Weil has not stated from what sources he drew his work, except that No. 201 is taken from a MS. in the Ducal Library at Gotha. This is unfortunate, as his version of the great transformation scene in No. 3b (Burton, vol. i., pp. 134, 135), agrees more closely with Galland than with any other original version. In other passages, as when speaking of the punishment of Aziz (No. 9a, aa), Weil seems to have borrowed an expression from Lane, who writes "a cruel wound;" Weil saying "a severe (schwere) wound."

Whereas Weil gives the only German version known to me of No. 9 (though considerably abridged) he omits many tales contained in Zinserling and Habicht, but whether because his own work was already too bulky, or because his original MSS. did not contain them, I do not know; probably the first supposition is correct, for in any case it was open to him to have translated them from the printed texts, to which he refers in his Preface.

Two important stories (Nos. 200 and 201) are not found in any other version; but as they are translated in my "New Arabian Nights," I need not discuss them here. I will, however, quote a passage from the story of Judar and Mahmood, which I omitted because it is not required by the context, and because I thought it a little out of place in a book published in a juvenile series. It is interesting from its analogy to the story of Semele.

When King Kashuk (a Jinni) is about to marry the daughter of King Shamkoor, we read (New Arabian Nights, p. 182), "Shamkoor immediately summoned my father, and said, 'Take my daughter, for you have won her heart.' He immediately provided an outfit for his daughter, and when it was completed, my father and his bride rode away on horseback, while the trousseau of the Princess followed on three hundred camels." The passage proceeds (the narrator being Daruma, the offspring of the marriage), "When my father had returned home, and was desirous of celebrating his marriage Kandarin (his Wazir) said to him, 'Your wife will be destroyed if you touch her, for you are created of fire, and she is created of earth, which the fire devours. You will then bewail her death when it is too late. To-morrow,' continued he, 'I will bring you an ointment with which you must rub both her and yourself; and you may then live long and happily together.' On the following day he brought him a white ointment, and my father anointed himself and his bride with it, and consummated his marriage without danger."

I may add that this is the only omission of the smallest consequence in my rendering of either story.

I have heard from more than one source that a complete German translation of The Nights was published, and suppressed; but I have not been able to discover the name of the author, the date, or any other particulars relating to the subject.



VON HAMMER'S MS., AND THE TRANSLATIONS DERIVED FROM IT.



Several complete copies of The Nights were obtained by Europeans about the close of the last or the beginning of the present century; and one of these (in 4 vols.) fell into the bands of the great German Orientalist, Joseph von Hammer. This MS. agrees closely with the printed Bul. and Mac. texts, as well as with Dr. Clarke's MS., though the names of the tales sometimes vary a little. One story, "The two Wazirs," given in Von Hammer's list as inedited, no doubt by an oversight, is evidently No. 7, which bears a similar title in Torrens. One title, "Al Kavi," a story which Von Hammer says was published in "Mag. Encycl.," and in English (probably by Scott in Ouseley's Oriental Collections, vide antea p. 491) puzzled me for some time; but from its position, and the title I think I have identified it as No. 145, and have entered it as such. No. 9a in this as well as in several other MSS., bears the title of the Two Lovers, or of the Lover and the Beloved.

Von Hammer made a French translation of the unpublished tales, which he lent to Caussin de Perceval, who extracted from it four tales only (Nos. 21a, 22, 32 and 37), and only acknowledged his obligations in a general way to a distinguished Orientalist, whose name he pointedly suppressed. Von Hammer, naturally indignant, reclaimed his MS., and had it translated into German by Zinserling. He then sent the French MS. to De Sacy, in whose hands it remained for some time, although he does not appear to have made any use of it, when it was despatched to England for publication; but the courier lost it on the journey, and it was never recovered.

Zinserling's translation was published under the title, "Der Tausend und einen Nacht noch nicht uebersetzte Maehrchen, Erzaehlungen und Anekdoten, zum erstenmale aus dem Arabischen in's Franzoesische uebersetzt von Joseph von Hammer, und aus dem Franzoesischen in's Deutsche von Aug. E. Zinserling, Professor." (3 vols., Stuttgart and Tuebingen, 1823.) The introductory matter is of considerable importance, and includes notices of 12 different MSS., and a list of contents of Von Hammer's MS. The tales begin with No. 23, Nos. 9-19 being omitted, because Von Hammer was informed that they were about to be published in France. (This possibly refers to Asselan Riche's "Scharkan," published in 1829.) The tales and anecdotes in this edition follow the order of The Nights. No. 163 is incomplete, Zinserling giving only the commencement; and two other tales (Nos. 132b and 168) are related in such a confused manner as to be unintelligible, the former from transposition (perhaps in the sheets of the original MS.) and the latter from errors and omissions. On the other hand, some of the tales (No. 137 for instance) are comparatively full and accurate.

A selection from the longer tales was published in English in 3 vols. in 1826, under the title of "New Arabian Nights Entertainments, selected from the original Oriental MS. by Jos. von Hammer, and now first translated into English by the Rev. George Lamb." I have only to remark that No. 132b is here detached from its connection with No. 132, and is given an independent existence.

A complete French re-translation of Zinserling's work, also in 3 vols., by G. S. Trebutien (Contes inedits des Mille et une Nuits), was published in Paris in 1828; but in this edition the long tales are placed first, and all the anecdotes are placed together last.

The various MSS. mentioned by Von Hammer are as follows:—

I. Galland's MS. in Paris.

II. Another Paris MS., containing 870 Nights. (No. 9 is specially noticed as occurring in it.) This seems to be the same as a MS. subsequently mentioned by Von Hammer as consulted by Habicht.

III. Scott's MS. (Wortley Montague).

IV. Scott's MS. (Anderson).

V. Dr. Russell's MS. from Aleppo (224 Nights).

VI. Sir W. Jones' MS., from which Richardson extracted No. 6ee for his grammar.

VII. A. MS. at Vienna (200 Nights).

VIII. MS. in Italinski's collection.

IX. Clarke's MS.

X. An Egyptian MS. at Marseilles.

XI. Von Hammer's MS.

XII. Habicht's MS. (==Bres. text).

XIII. Caussin's MS.

XIV. De Sacy's MS.

XV. One or more MSS. in the Vatican.



TRANSLATIONS OF THE PRINTED TEXTS.



These are noticed by Sir R. F. Burton in his "Foreword" (vol. i., pp. x-xii.) and consequently can be passed over with a brief mention here.

Torrens' edition (vol. 1) extends to the end of Night 50 (Burton, ii., p. 118).

Lane's translation originally appeared in monthly half-crown parts, from 1839 to 1841. It is obvious that he felt himself terribly restricted in space; for the third volume, although much thicker than the others, is not only almost destitute of notes towards the end, but the author is compelled to grasp at every excuse to omit tales, even excluding No. 168, which he himself considered "one of the most entertaining tales in the work" (chap. xxix., note 12), on account of its resemblance to Nos. 1b and 3d. Part of the matter in Lane's own earlier notes is apparently derived from No. 132a, which he probably did not at first intend to omit. Sir R. F. Burton has taken 5 vols. to cover the same ground which Lane has squeezed into his vol. 3. But it is only fair to Lane to remark that in such cases the publisher is usually far more to blame than the author.

In 1847 appeared a popular edition of Lane, entitled, "The Thousand and One Nights, or the Arabian Nights Entertainments, translated and arranged for family reading, with explanatory notes. Second edition." Here Galland's old spelling is restored, and the "explanatory notes," ostentatiously mentioned on the title page, are entirely omitted. This edition was in 3 vols. I have seen a copy dated 1850; and think I have heard of an issue in 1 vol.; and there is an American reprint in 2 vols. The English issue was ultimately withdrawn from circulation in consequence of Lane's protests. (Mr. S. L. Poole's Life of E. W. Lane, p. 95.) It contains the woodcut of the Flying Couch, which is wanting in the later editions of the genuine work; but not Galland's doubtful tales, as Poole asserts.

Several editions of the original work, edited by Messrs. E. S. and S. L. Poole, have appeared at intervals from 1859 to 1882. They differ little from the original edition except in their slightly smaller size.

The short tales included in Lane's notes were published separately as one of Knight's Weekly Volumes, in 1845, under the title of "Arabian Tales and Anecdotes, being a selection from the notes to the new translation of the Thousand and One Nights, by E. W. Lane, Esq."

Finally, in 1883, Mr. Stanley Lane Poole published a classified and arranged edition of Lane's notes under the title of "Arabian Society in the Middle Ages."

Mr. John Payne's version of the Mac. edition was issued in 9 vols. by the Villon Society to subscribers only. It appeared from 1882 to 1884, and only 500 copies were printed. Judging from the original prospectus, it seems to have been the author's intention to have completed the work in 8 vols., and to have devoted vol. 9 to Galland's doubtful tales; but as they are omitted, he must have found that the work ran to a greater length than he had anticipated, and that space failed him. He published some preliminary papers on the Nights in the New Quarterly Magazine for January and April, 1879.

Mr. Payne subsequently issued "Tales from the Arabic of the Breslau and Calcutta (1814-18) editions of the Thousand Nights and One Night, not occurring in the other printed texts of the work." (Three vols., London, 1884.) Of this work, issued, like the other, by the Villon Society, to subscribers only, 750 copies were printed, besides 50 on large paper. The third volume includes indices of all the tales in the four principal printed texts.

Finally we have Sir R. F. Burton's translation now in its entirety before his subscribers. It is restricted to 1,000 copies. (Why not 1,001?) The five supplementary vols. are to include tales wanting in the Mac. edition, but found in other texts (printed and MS.), while Lady Burton's popular edition will allow of the free circulation of Sir R. F. Burton's work among all classes of the reading public.



COLLECTIONS OF SELECTED TALES.



There are many volumes of selections derived from Galland, but these hardly require mention; the following may be noticed as derived from other sources:

1. Caliphs and Sultans, being tales omitted in the usual editions of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments. Re-written and re-arranged by Sylvanus Hanley, F. L. S., etc., London, 1868; 2nd edition 1870.

Consists of portions of tales chiefly selected from Scott, Lamb, Chavis and Cazotte, Trebutien and Lane; much abridged, and frequently strung together, as follows:—

Nos. 246, 41, 32 (including Nos. 111, 21a, and 89); 9a (including 9aa [which Hanley seems, by the way, to have borrowed from some version which I do not recognise], 22 and 248); 155, 156, 136, 162; Xailoun the Silly (from Cazotte); 132 and 132a; and 169 (including 134 and 135x).

2. Ilam-en-Nas. Historical tales and anecdotes of the time of the early Kalifahs. Translated from the Arabic and annotated by Mrs. Godfrey Clerk, author of "The Antipodes, and Round the World." London, 1873.

Many of these anecdotes, as is candidly admitted by the authoress in her Preface, are found with variations in the Nights, though not translated by her from this source.

3. The New Arabian Nights. Select tales not included by Galland or Lane. By W. F. Kirby, London, 1882.

Includes the following tales, slightly abridged, from Weil and Scott: Nos. 200, 201, 264, 215, 209, and 208.

Two editions have appeared in England, besides reprints in America and Australia.



SEPARATE EDITIONS OF SINGLE OR COMPOSITE TALES.



6e (ee).—The Barber's Fifth Brother.

Mr. W. A. Clouston (in litt.) calls attention to the version of this story by Addison in the "Spectator," No. 535, Nov. 13, 1712, after Galland. There is good reason to suppose that this is subsequent to the first English edition, which, however, Addison does not mention. There is also an English version in Faris' little Arabic Grammar (London, 1856), and likewise in Richardson's Arabic Grammar. The latter author extracted it from a MS. belonging to Sir W. Jones.



5.—Nur Al-din and Badr Al-din Hasan.

There are two Paris editions of the "Histoire de Chems-Eddine et de NourEddine," edited by Prof. Cherbonneau. The first (1852) contains text and notes, and the second (1869) includes text, vocabulary and translations.



7.—Nur Al-din and Anis Al-jalis.

An edition by Kasimiraki of "Enis' el-Djelis, ou histoire de la belle Persane," appeared in Paris in 1867. It includes text, translation and notes.



9.—King Omar Bin Al-nu'aman.

There is a French abridgment of this story entitled, "Scharkan, Conte Arabe, suivi de quelques anecdotes orientales; traduit par M. Asselan Riche, Membre de la Societe Asiatique de Paris" (Paris and Marseilles, 12mo, 1829, pp. 240). The seven anecdotes appended are as follows: (1) the well-known story of Omar's prisoner and the glass of water; (2) Elhedjadj and a young Arab; (3)=our No. 140; (4) Anecdote of Elhedjadj and a story-teller; (5)=our No. 86; (6) King Bahman and the Moubed's parable of the Owls; (7)=our No. 145.



133.—Sindbad the Seaman.

This is the proper place to call attention to a work specially relating to this story, "Remarks on the Arabian Nights Entertainments; in which the origin of Sindbad's Voyages and other Oriental Fictions is particularly described. By Richard Hole, LL.D." (London, 1797, pp. iv. 259.)

It is an old book, but may still be consulted with advantage.

There are two important critical editions of No. 133, one in French and one in German.

1. Les Voyages de Sind-bad le marin et la ruse des Femmes. Contes arabes. Traduction litterale, accompagnee du Texte et des Notes. Par L. Langles (Paris, 1814).

The second story is our No. 184.

2. Die beiden Sindbad oder Reiseabenteuer Sindbads des Seefabrers. Nach einer zum ersten Male in Europa bedruckten Aegyptischen Handschrift unmittelbar und wortlich treu aus den Arabischen uebersetzt und mit erklaerenden Anmerkungen, nebst zwei sprachlichen Beilagen zum Gebrauch fuer abgehende Orientalisten herausgegeben von J. G. H. Reinsch (Breslau, 1826).



135.—The Craft and Malice of Women.

The literature of this cluster of tales would require a volume in itself, and I cannot do better than refer to Mr. W. A. Clouston's "Book of Sindibad" (8vo, Glasgow, 1884) for further information. This book, though privately printed and limited to 300 copies, is not uncommon.



136.—Judar and His Brethren.

An edition of this story, entitled "Histoire de Djouder le Pecheur," edited by Prof. Houdas, was published in the Bibliotheque Algerienne, at Algiers, in 1865. It includes text and vocabulary.



174.—The Ten Wazirs.

This collection of tales has also been frequently reprinted separately. It is the Arabic version of the Persian Bakhtyar Nameh, of which Mr. Clouston issued a privately-printed edition in 1883.

The following versions have come under my notice:—

1. Nouveaux Contes Arabes, ou Supplement aux Mille et une Nuits suivies de Melanges de Litterature orientale et de lettres, par l'Abbe * * * (Paris, 1788, pp. 425).

This work consists chiefly of a series of tales selected and adapted from the Ten Vazirs. "Written in Europe by a European, and its interest is found in the Terminal Essay, on the Mythologia Aesopica" (Burton in litt.).

2. Historien om de ti Vezirer og hoorledes det gik dem med Kong Azad Bachts Soen, oversat af Arabisk ved R. Rask (8vo, Kobenhavn, 1829).

3. Habicht, x. p. vi., refers to the following:—Historia decem Vezirorum et filii regis Azad-Bacht insertis XIII. aliis narrationibus, in usum tironum Cahirensem, edid. G. Knoes, Goettingen, 1807, 8vo.

He also states that Knoes published the commencement in 1805, in his "Disquisitio de fide Herodoti, quo perhibet Phoenices Africam navibus circumvectos esse cum recentiorum super hac re sententiis excussis.—Adnexurn est specimen sermonis Arabici vulgaris s. initium historiae filii regis Azad-Bacht e Codice inedito."

4. Contes Arabes. Histoire des dix Vizirs (Bakhtyar Nameh) Traduite et annotee par Rene Basset, Professeur A l'ecole superieure des lettres d'Algerie. Paris, 1883.

Chavis and Cazotte (antea pp. 471, 472) included a version of the Ten Vazirs in their work; and others are referred to in our Table of Tales.



248.—The Wise Heycar.

Subsequently to the publication of Gauttier's edition of The Nights, Agoub republished his translation under the title of "Le sage Heycar, conte Arabe" (Paris, 1824).

A few tales published by Scott in Ouseley's Oriental Collections have already been noticed (antea, pp. 434, 435).



TRANSLATIONS OF COGNATE ORIENTAL ROMANCES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE NIGHTS.



1. Les Mille et Un Jours. Contes Persanes.

"In imitation of the Arabian Nights, was composed a Persian collection entitled 'Hazar Yek Ruz or the Thousand and One Days,' of which Petis de la Croix published a French rendering [in 1710], which was done into English [by Dr. King, and published in 2 vols. (with the Turkish Tales=Forty Vezirs) as early as 1714; and subsequently] by Ambrose Phillips" (in 1738) (Clouston, in litt). Here, and occasionally elsewhere, I have quoted from some MSS. notes on The Nights by Mr. W. A. Clouston, which Sir R. F. Burton kindly permitted me to inspect. Mr. Clouston then quotes Cazotte's Preface (not in my edition of the Thousand and One Days), according to which the book was written by the celebrated Dervis Mocles (Mukhlis), chief of the Sofis (Sufis?) of lspahan, founded upon certain Indian comedies. Petis de la Croix was on friendly terms with Mukhlis, who allowed him to take a copy of his work in 1675, during his residence in Ispahan. (I find these statements confirmed in the Cabinet des Fees, xxxvii. pp. 266, 274, 278, and in Weber's "Tales of the East," i. pp. xxxvi., xxxxii.)

The framework of the story is the same as Nos. 9a and 152: a Princess, who conceives an aversion to men from dreaming of the self-devotion of a doe, and the indifference and selfishness of a stag. Mr. Clouston refers to Nakhshabi's Tuti Nama (No. 33 of Kaderi's abridgment, and 39 of India Office MS. 2,573 whence he thinks it probable that Mukhlis may have taken the tale.) But the tale itself is repeated over and over again in many Arabic, Persian, and Turkish collections; in fact, there are few of commoner occurrence.

The tales are told by the nurse in order to overcome the aversion of the Princess to men. They are as follows:

Introduction and Conclusion: Story of the Princess of Cashmir. 1. Story of Aboulcassem Bafry. 2. Story of King Ruzvanchad and the Princess Cheheristani. a. Story of the young King of Thibet and the Princess of the Naimans. b. Story of the Vazir Cavercha. 3. Story of Couloufe and the Beautiful Dilara. 4. Story of Prince Calaf and the Princess of China. a. Story of Prince Fadlallah, son of Bei-Ortoc, King of Moussel=Nos. 184 and 251. 5. Story of King Bedreddin-Lolo, and his Vazir Atalmulk, surnamed the Sad Vazir. a. Story of Atalmulk and the Princess Zelica Beghume. b. Story of Prince Seyf-el-Molouk. c. Story of Malek and the Princess Chirine. d. Story of King Hormuz, surnamed the King without trouble. da. Story of Avicenna. e. Story of the fair Arouya. Cf. Nos. 135q and 225. f. Singular Adventures of Aboulfawaris, surnamed the Great Traveller (2 Voyages). 6. Story of the Two Brother Genii, Adis and Dahy. 7. Story of Nasiraddole, King of Moussel, of Abderrahman, Merchant of Bagdad, and the Beautiful Zeineb. 8. Story of Repsima=No. 181r.

This work has many times been reprinted in France, where it holds a place only second to The Nights.

Sir R. F. Burton remarks, concerning the Persian and Turkish Tales of Petis de la Crois (the latter of which form part of the Forty Vazirs, No. 251), "Both are weak and servile imitations of Galland by an Orientalist who knew nothing of the East. In one passage in the story of Fadlallah, we read of 'Le Sacrifice du Mont Arafate,' which seems to have become a fixture in the European brain. I found the work easy writing and exceedingly hard reading."

The following tales require a passing notice:—

1. Story of Aboulcassem Bafry.—A story of concealed treasure; it has also some resemblance to No. 31.

2. Ruzvanchad and Cheheristani.—Cheheristani is a jinniyah, who is pursued by the King, under the form of a white doe; marries him, and becomes the mother of Balkis, the Queen of Sheba. She exacts a promise from him never to rebuke her for any of her actions: he breaks it, and she leaves him for a time.

2a. The Young King of Thibet.—Two imposters obtain magic rings by which they can assume the shapes of other persons.

2a, b. The Vazir Cavercha.—This is one of Scott's stories (No. 223 of our Table). It goes back at least as far as the Ring of Polycrates. It is the 8th Vezir's Story in Mr. Gibbs' Forty Vezirs (pp. 200-205).

4. Prince Calaf.—This story is well known, and is sometimes played as a comedy. The Princess Turandot puts riddles to her suitors, and beheads them if they fail to answer.

5b. Story of Prince Seyj-el-Molouk.—This story is perhaps an older version than that which appears in The Nights (No. 154a). It is placed long after the time of Solomon; Saad is devoured by ants (Weber (ii. p. 426) has substituted wild beasts!); and when Seyf enters the palace of Malika (=Daulet Khatoon), the jinni surprises them, and is overpowered by Seyf's ring. He then informs him of the death of Saad; and that Bedy al-Jernal was one of the mistresses of Solomon; and has also long been dead.

5b. Malek and Chirine.—Resembles No. 264; Malek passes himself off as the Prophet Mohammed; burns his box (not chair) with fireworks on his weddingday, and is thus prevented from ever returning to the Princess.

5f. Adventures of Aboulfawaris.—Romantic travels, resembling Nos. 132a and 133.

2. Antar.—This is the most famous of the Badawi romances. It resembles No. 137 in several particulars, but is destitute of supernaturalism. An English abridgment in 4 vols. was published in 1820; and the substance of vol. 1 had appeared, as a fragment, in the previous year, under the title of "Antar, a Bedoueen Romance translated from the Arabic by Terrick Hamilton, Esq., Oriental Secretary to the British Embassy at Constantinople." I have also seen vol. 1 of a French translation, published about 1862, and extending to the death of Shas.

Lane (Modern Egyptians, ch. 21-23) describes several other Arab romances, which have not yet been translated; viz. Aboo-Zeyd; Ez- Zahir, and Delhemeh.

3. GLAIVE-DES-COURONNES (Seif el-Tidjan) Roman traduit de l'Arabe. Par M. le Dr. Perron (Paris, 1862).

A romantic story of Arab chivalry, less overloaded with supernaturalism than No. 137; but more supernatural than Antar. The hero marries (among other wives) two jinniyahs of the posterity of Iblis. In ch. 21 we have an account of a magical city much resembling the City of Brass (No. 134) and defended by similar talismans.

4. MEHEMET THE KURD, and other tales, from Eastern sources, by Charles Wells, Turkish Prizeman of King's College, London, and Member of the Royal Asiatic Society (London, 1865).

The first story, taken from an Arabic MS., is a narrative of a handsome simpleminded man, with whom Princesses fall in love, and who is raised to a mighty throne by their enchantments. Some of the early incidents are not unlike those in the well-known German story of Lucky Hans (Hans im Glueck). In one place there is an enchanted garden, where Princesses disport themselves in feather- dresses (as in No. 155, &c.), and where magic apples grow. (Note that apples are always held in extraordinary estimation in The Nights, cf. Nos. 4 and 264.) Among the shorter stories we find No. 251h; a version of Nos. 9a and 152 (probably that referred to by Mr. Clouston as in the Tuti Nama); a story "The Prince Tailor," resembling No. 251; No. 256, and one or two other tales not connected with The Nights. (Most of Wells' shorter tales are evidently taken from the Forty Vezirs.)

5. RECUEIL DES CONTES POPULAIRES de la Kabylie du Djardjara, recueillis et traduits par J. Riviere (Paris, 1882). I have not seen this book; but it can hardly fail to illustrate The Nights.

6. THE STORY OF JEWAD, Romance by 'Ali 'Aziz Efendi the Cretan. Translated from the Turkish by E. J. W. Gibb, M.R.A.S., &c. (Glasgow, 1884).

A modern Turkish work, written in A. H. 1211 (1796-97). It contains the following tales:—



The Story of Jew d.

1. The Story of Eb -'Ali-Sin ;. 2. The Story of Monia Em n. 3. The Story of Ferah-N z, the daughter of the King of China. a. The Story of Khoja 'Abdu-llah. 4. The Story told by Jew d to Iklilu'l Mulk. a. The Story of Sh b r and Hum . c. The Story of Ghazanfer and R hila. 5. The Story of Qara Khan.

The following deserve notice from our present point of view:—

The Story of Jewad.—Here we have magical illusions, as in Nos. 247 and 251a. Such narratives are common in the East; Lane (Nights, ch. i., note 15) is inclined to attribute such illusions to the influence of drugs; but the narratives seem rather to point to so-called electro-biology, or the Scotch Glamour (such influences, as is notorious, acting far more strongly upon Orientals than upon Europeans).

2. The Story of Monia Em n corresponds to the Story of Naerdan and Guzulbec, in Caylus' Oriental Tales. A story of magical illusions.

3. The Story of Ferah N z.—Here again we have a variant of Nos. 9a and 152.

3a. Khoja 'Abdu-ltab.—This is a version of the Story of Aboulcassem in the Thousand and One Days.

4a. Sh b r and Hum .—The commencement of this story might have suggested to Southey the adventures of Thalaba and Oneida in the Gardens of Aloadin; the remainder appears to be taken from the Story of the young King of Thibet, in the Thousand and One Days.

5. Qara Khan.—The principal part of this story is borrowed from the First Voyage of Aboulfawaris in the Thousand and One Days; it has some resemblance to the story of the Mountain of Loadstone in No. 3c.

7. FRUeCHTE DES ASIATISCHEN GEIST, von A. T. Hartmann. 2 vols., 12mo (Muenster) 1803. A collection of anecdotes, &c., from various Eastern sources, Arabic, Indian, &c. I think it not impossible that this may be the work referred to by Von Hammer in the preface to Zinserling's "1001 Nacht" (p. xxvii. note) as "Asiatische Perleuschnur von Hartmann." At least I have not yet met with any work to which the scanty indication would apply better.

8. TUTI-NAMA. I could hardly pass over the famous Persian and Turkish "Parrot-Book" quite without notice; but its tales have rarely any direct connection with those in The Nights, and I have not attempted to go into its very extensive bibliography.



DR. CLARKE'S M.S.



Dr. Edward Daniel Clarke has given an account of an important MS. nearly agreeing with Bul. and Mac., which he purchased in Egypt, in his "Travels in various countries of Europe, Asia and Africa." Part ii. Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land. Section i. (1812) App. iii., pp. 701-704. Unfortunately, this MS. was afterwards so damaged by water during a shipwreck that it was rendered totally illegible. The list of tales (as will be seen by the numbers in brackets, which correspond to our Table, as far as the identifications are safe) will show the approximate contents of the MS., but the list (which is translated into German by Habicht in the preface to his vol. 12) was evidently compiled carelessly by a person nearly ignorant of Arabic, perhaps with the aid of an interpreter, Maltese, or other, and seems to abound with the most absurd mistakes. The full text of Clarke's App. iii. is as follows: "List of One Hundred and Seventy-two Tales, contained in a manuscript copy of the 'Alif Lila va Lilin,' or 'Arabian Nights,' as it was procured by the Author in Egypt."

N.B.—The Arabic words mentioned in this list are given as they appeared to be pronounced in English characters, and of course, therefore, adapted to English pronunciation.

The number of tales amounts to 172, but one tale is supposed to occupy many nights in the recital, so that the whole number is divided into "One Thousand and One Nights." It rarely happens that any two copies of the Alif Lila va Lilin resemble each other. This title is bestowed upon any collection of Eastern tales divided into the same number of parts. The compilation depends upon the taste, the caprice, and the opportunities of the scribe, or the commands of his employer. Certain popular stories are common to almost all copies of the Arabian Nights, but almost every collection contains some tales which are not found in every other. Much depends upon the locality of the scribe. The popular stories of Egypt will be found to differ materially from those of Constantinople. A nephew of the late Wortley Montague, living in Rosetta, had a copy of the Arabian Nights, and upon comparing the two manuscripts it appeared that out of the 172 tales here enumerated only 37 were found in his manuscript. In order to mark, therefore, the stories which were common to the two manuscripts, an asterisk has been prefixed to the thirty-seven tales which appeared in both copies.

1. The Bull and the Ass (a). 2. The Merchant and the Hobgoblin (1; Habicht translates Kobold!). 3. The Man and the Antelope (1a). 4. The Merchant and Two Dogs (1b). 5. The Old Man and the Mule (1c). *6. The History of the Hunters (2). 7&8. The History of King Unam and the Philosopher Reinan (2a). *9. History of King Sinbad and Elbase (2a, ab). *10. History of the Porter (3). *11. History of Karanduli. 12. Story of the Mirror. 13. Story of the Three Apples (4). *14. Of Shensheddin Mohammed, and his Brother Noureddin (5). *15. Of the Taylor, Little Hunchback, the Jew and the Christian (6). 16. The History of Noureddin Ali (7). 17. Ditto of Gaumayub, &c. (8). *18. The History of King Omar and Oman and his Children. (This tale is extremely long, and occupies much of the manuscript) (9). *19. Of the Lover and the Beloved (9a). 20. Story of the Peacock, the Goose, the Ass, the Horse, &c. (10). 21. Of the Pious Man (11). 22. Of the Pious Shepherd. 23. Of the Bird and the Turtle (12). 24. Of the Fox, the Hawk, &c. (13). 25. Of the Lord of the Beasts. *26. Of the Mouse and the Partridge (14). 27. Of the Raven and the Cat (15). 28. Of the Raven, the Fox, the Mouse, the Flea, &c., &c. (16). 29. Story of the Thief (18). *30. Of Aul Hassan and the Slave Shemsney Har (20). *31. Of Kamrasaman, &c. (21). 32. Of Naam and Nameto la (21a). *33. Of Aladin Abuskelmat (22). *34. Of Hallina Die (23). 35. Story of Maan Jaamnazida (24). 36. History of the Town Litta (26). 37. Story of Hassan Abdulmelac (27). 38. Of Ibrahim Elmachde, Brother of Haroun al Raschid (28). 39. History of the Famous Garden Ezem (Paradise) (29). 40. Of Isaac of Mossul (30). 41. Of Hasli Hasli. 42. Of Mohammed Eli Ali (32). 43. Of Ali the Persian (33). 44. History of the Raschid and his Judge (34). 45. Of Haled Immi Abdullah. 46. Of Jafaard the Bamasside (36). 47. Of Abokohammed Kurlan (37). 48. Of Haroun al-Raschid and Sala. 49. History of Mamoan (40). 50. Of Shar and the Slave Zemroud (41). 51. Of the Lady Bedoor (literally Mrs. Moon-face) and Mr. Victorious (42). 52. Of Mammon and Mohammed of Bassorah. 53. Of Haroun al-Raschid and his Slave (44). 54. Of the Merchant in Debt (45). 55. Of Hassoun Medin, the Governor (46). 56. Of King Nassir and his Three Children—the Governor of Cairo, the Governor of Bulac, and the Governor of Old Cairo (47). 57. History of the Banker and the Thief (48). 58. Of Aladin, Governor of Constantinople. 59. Of Mamoon and Ibrahim (50). 60. Of a certain King (51). 61. Of a Pious Man (52). 62. Of Abul Hassan Ezeada (53). 63. Of a Merchant (54). 64. Of a Man of Bagdad (55). 65. Of Modavikil (56). *66. Of Virdan in the time of Hakim Veemrelack (N.B.—He built the Mosque in going from Cairo to Heliopolis) (57). 67. Of a Slave and an Ape (58). *68. Story of the Horse of Ebony (59). *69. Of Insilvujud (60). 70. Of Eban Vas (61). 71. Of an Inhabitant of Bassora (62). 72. History of a Man of the tribe of Arabs of Beucadda (63). 73. History of Benriddin, Vizir of Yemen (64). 74. Of a Boy and a Girl (65). 75. Of Mutelmis (66). 76. Of Haroun al Rashid and the Lady Zebeda (67). 77. Of Mussa ab imni Zibir (69). 78. Of the Black Father. 79. Of Haroun al Raschid. 80. Story of an Ass Keeper (74?). 81. Of Haroun al Rashid and Eboo Yussuf (75). 82. Of Hakim, Builder of the Mosque (76). 83. Of Melikel Horrais. 84. Of a Gilder and his Wife (78). 85. Of Hashron, &c. (79). 86. Of Yackyar, &c., the Barmadride (80). 87. Of Mussa, &c. 88. Of Said, &c. 89. Of the Whore and the Good Woman. 90. Of Raschid and Jacob his Favourite. 91. Of Sherif Hussein. 92. Of Mamoon, son of Haroun al Raschid (87). 93. Of the repenting Thief (88) 94. Of Haroun al Raschid (89). 95. Of a Divine, &c. (90). 96. Another story of a Divine. 97. The Story of the Neighbours. 98. Of Kings (94). 99. Of Abdo Rackman (95). 100. Of Hind, daughter of Nackinan (96). 101. Of Tabal (97). 102. Of Isaac son of Abraham (98). 103. Of a Boy and a Girl. 104. Story of Chassim Imni Addi. 105. Of Abul Abass. 106. Of Ebubecker Ben Mohammed. 107. Of Ebi Evar. 108. Of Emmin, brother of Mamon (105). 109. Of six Scheiks of Bagdad. 110. Of an Old Woman. 111. Of a Wild Girl. 112. Of Hasan Elgevire of Bagdad. 113. Of certain Kings. 114. Of a king of Israel (116). 115. Of Alexander (117). 116. Of King Nusharvian (118). 117. Of a Judge and his Wife (119). 118. Of an Emir. 119. Of Malek Imnidinar. 120. Of a devout man of the children of Israel (122). 121. Of Hedjage Himni Yussuf (123). 122. Of a Blacksmith (124). 123. Of a devout man (125). 124. Of Omar Imnilchatab. 125. Of Ibrahim Elchaber. 126. Of a Prophet (128). 127. Of a Pious Man (129). 128. Of a Man of the Children of Israel (130). 129. Of Abul Hassan Duradge (131). 130. Of Sultana Hayaat. 131. Of the Philosopher Daniel (132). *132. Of Belukia (132A). *133. The Travels of Sinbad—certain seven voyages, &c. (133). 134. Of the Town of Copper (134). 135. Of the Seven Virgins and the Slave (135). *136. Story of Judais (136). 137. The Wonderful History. 138. Of Abdullah lmni Mohammi. 139. Of Hind Imni Haman (139). 140. Of Chazmime Imni Bashes (140). 141. Of Jonas the Secretary (141). 142. Of Haroun al-Rashid (142). 143. Of ditto. 144. Of Ebon Isaac Ibrahim (144). 145. Of Haroun al Raschid, Misroor and the Poet. 146. Of the Caliph Moavia. 147. Of Haroun al Raschid. 148. Of Isaac Imni Ibrahim (148), 149. Of Ebwi Amer. *150. Of Achmet Ezenth and the old Female Pimp. 151. Of the three Brothers. 152. Of Erdeshir and Hiaker, of Julmar El Bacharia (152). 153. Of Mahomet, &c. 154. Ditto (154?). *155. Story of Safil Moluki (154A). *156. Of Hassan, &c. (155). *157. Of Caliph the Hunter (156). *158. Of Mersir and his Mistress (157). 159. Of Noureddin and Mary (158). 160. Of a Bedouin and a Frank (159). 161. Of a Man of Baghdad and his Female Slave (160). 162. Of a King, his Son, and the Vizir Shemar (161). *163. Of a Merchant and the Thieves. *164. Of Abousir and Aboukir (162). *165. Abdulak El Beri and Abdulak El Backari (163). *166. Of Haroun al Raschid. 167. Of the Merchant Abul Hassan al-Omani (164). 168. Of Imnil Echarib (168). 169. Of Moted Bila. *170. Of Kamasi Zemuan (167). *171. Of Abdulah Imni Fasil (168). *172. The Story of Maroof (169).



IMITATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS WORKS HAVING MORE OR LESS CONNECTION WITH THE NIGHTS.



The success of Galland's work led to the appearance of numerous works more or less resembling it, chiefly in England and France. Similar imitations, though now less numerous, have continued to appear down to the present day.

The most important of the older works of this class were published in French in the "Cabinet des Fees" (Amsterdam and Geneva, 1785-1793; 41 vols.); in English in "Tales of the East: comprising the most popular Romances of Oriental origin, and the best imitations by European authors, with new translations and additional tales never before published, to which is prefixed an introductory dissertation, containing an account of each work and of its author or translator. By Henry Weber, Esq." (Edinburgh, 1812, 3 vols.); and in German in "Tausand und ein Tag. Morgenlaendische Erzaehlungen aus dem Persisch, Turkisch und Arabisch, nach Petis de la Croix, Galland, Cardonne, Chavis und Cazotte, dem Grafen Caylus, und Anderer. Uebersetzt von F. H. von der Hagen" (Prenzlau, 1827-1837, 11 vols.). In the "Cabinet des Fees" I find a reference to an older collection of tales (partly Oriental) called the "Bibliotheque des Fees et des Genies," by the Abbe de la Porte, which I have not seen, but which is, in part, incorporated in the "Cabinet." It formed only 2 vols. 12mo, and was published in 1765.

The examination of these tales is difficult, for they comprise several classes, not always clearly defined:—

1. Satires on The Nights themselves (e.g. the Tales of the Count of Hamilton). 2. Satires in an Oriental garb (e.g. Beckford's Vathek). 3. Moral tales in an Oriental garb (e.g. Mrs. Sheridan's Nourjahad). 4. Fantastic tales with nothing Oriental about them but the name (e.g. Stevenson's New Arabian Nights). 5. Imitations pure and simple (e.g. G. Meredith's Shaving of Shagpat). 6. Imitations more or less founded on genuine Oriental sources (e.g. the Tales of the Comte de Caylus). 7. Genuine Oriental Tales (e.g. Mille et une Jours, translated by Petis de la Croix).

Most of the tales belonging to Class 7 and some of those belonging to Class 6 have been treated of in previous sections. The remaining tales and imitations will generally need only a very brief notice; sometimes only the title and the indication of the class to which they belong. We will begin with an enumeration of the Oriental contents of the Cabinet des Fees, adding W. i., ii. and iii. to show which are included in Weber's "Tales of the East":—

7-11. 1001 Nuits (W. 1). 12, 13. Les Aventures d'Abdalla (W. iii). 14, 15. 1001 Jours (Persian tales, W. ii.). 16. Histoire de la Sultane de Perse et des Visirs. Contes Turcs (Turkish tales, W. 3==our 251). 16. Les Voyages de Zulma dans le pays des Fees. 17, 18. Contes de Bidpai. 19. Contes Chinois, on les Aventures merveilleuses du Mandarin Fum-Hoam (W. iii.). 21, 22. Les Mille et un Quart d'Heures. Contes Tartares (W. iii.). 22, 23. Les Sultanes de Guzerath, ou les Songes des hommes eveilles. Contes Moguls (W. iii.). 25. Nouveaux Contes Orientaux, par le Comte de Caylus (W. ii.). 29, 30. Les Contes des Genies (W. iii.). 30. Les Aventures de Zelouide et d'Amanzarifdine. 30. Contes Indiens par M. de Moncrif. 33. Nourjahad (W. ii.). 34. Contes de M. Pajon. 38-41. Les Veillees du Sultan Schahriar, &c. (Chavis and Cazotte; cf. antea, p. 419; W. i. ii.).

(Weber also includes, in his vol. ii. Nos. 21a, 22, 32 and 37, after Caussin de Perceval.)

12, 13. The Adventures of Abdallah, the Son of Hanif (Class 5 or 6).

Originally published in 1713; attributed to M. de Bignon, a young Abbe. A series of romantic travels, in which Eastern and Western fiction is mixed; for instance, we have the story of the Nose- tree, which so far as I know has nothing Oriental about it.

16. The Voyages of Zulma in Fairy Land (Class 4).

European fairy tales, with nothing Oriental about them but the names of persons and places. The work is unfinished.

17, 18. The Tales of Bidpai (translated by Galland) are Indian, and therefore need no further notice here.

19-23. Chinese, Tartarian and Mogul Tales (Class 6).

Published in 1723, and later by Thomas Simon Gueulette.

Concerning these tales, Mr. Clouston remarks (in litt.): "Much of the groundwork of these clever imitations of the Arabian Nights has been, directly or indirectly, derived from Eastern sources; for instance, in the so-called Tartar tales, the adventures of the Young Calender find parallels, (1) in the well-known Bidpai tale of the Brahman, the Sharpers and the Goat (Kalila and Dimna, Panchatantra, Hitopadesa, &c.) and (2) in the worldwide story of the Farmer who outwitted the Six Men (Indian Antiquary, vol. 3) of which there are many versions current in Europe, such as the Norse tale of Big Peter and Little Peter, the Danish tale of Great Claus and Little Claus; the German tale (Grimm) of the Little Farmer; the Irish tale of Little Fairly (Samuel Lover's collection of Irish Fairy Legends and Stories); four Gaelic versions in Campbell's Popular Tales of the West Highlands; a Kaba'il version in Riviere's French collection (Contes populaires Kabylies); Uncle Capriano in Crane's recently published Italian Popular Tales; and a Latin mediaeval version (written probably in the I **1th century) in which the hero is called 'Unibos,' because he had only one cow."

25. Oriental Tales (Class 6).

Mr. Clouston observes, "Appeared in 1749,[FN#472] and on the title page are said to have been translated from MSS. in the Royal French Library. The stories are, however, largely the composition of De Caylus himself, and those elements of them which are traceable to Asiatic sources have been considerably Frenchified."

Nevertheless they are not without interest, and are nearly all of obviously Oriental origin. One of the stories is a fantastic account of the Birth of Mahomet, including romantic travels largely borrowed from No. 132a. Another story is a version of that of the Seven Sleepers. Other noteworthy tales are the story of the Dervish Abounader, which resembles Nos. 193 and 216d; and the story of Naerdan and Guzulbec, which is a tale of magical illusions similar to that of Monia Emin, in the Turkish story of Jewad.

The Count de Caylus was the author of various European as well as Oriental fairy tales. Of his Oriental collection, Sir R. F. Burton remarks:—"The stories are not Eastern but Western fairy tales proper, with kings and queens, giants and dwarfs, and fairies, good and bad. 'Barbets' act as body guard and army. Written in good old style, and free language, such as, for instance, son petenlaire, with here and there a touch of salt humour, as in Rosanie 'Charmante reine (car on n'a jamais parle autrement a une reine, quel que laide qu'elle ait ete).'"

29, 30. Tales of the Genii (Class 3).

Written in the middle of the last century by Rev. James Ridley, but purporting to be translated from the Persian of Horam, the son of Asmar, by Sir Charles Morell.

These tales have been reprinted many times; but it is very doubtful if they are based on any genuine Oriental sources. The amount of Oriental colouring may be guessed from the story of Urad, who having consented to become the bride of a Sultan on condition that he should dismiss all his concubines, and make her his sole queen (like Harald Harfagr on his marriage with Ragnhilda), is presented to his loving subjects as their Sultana!

32. Adventures of Zeloide and Amanzarifdine. Indian Tales, by M. de Moncrif (Class 4). Ordinary European Fairy Tales, with the scene laid in the East.

33. Nourjahad, by Mrs. Sheridan (Class 3).

An unworthy favourite is reformed by a course of practical moral lessons conveyed by the Sultan through supposed supernatural agencies. Mr. Clouston regards it as "one of the very best of the imitations of Eastern fiction. The plot is ingeniously conceived and well wrought out, and the interest never flags throughout."

34. Pajon's Oriental Tales (Class 5). These demand no special notice.

In addition to the above, the following Oriental works are mentioned in the Cabinet des Fees, but not reprinted:

1. Apologues orientaux, par l'abbe Blanchet. 2. Melanges de litterature orientale, par Cardonne. (Paris, 2 vols. 1770.) 3. Nerair et Meloe, roman oriental, par H. B. Deblanes (1759). 4. Contes orientaux, par M. de la Dixmerie. 5. Les Cinq Cent Matinees et une demie, contes Syriens, par le chevalier de Duclos. 6. Abassai, conte oriental, par Mademoiselle Fault (ou Fauques) 1752. 7. Les Contes du Serail, par Mdlle. Fault (1753.) 8. Kara Mustapha, conte oriental, par Fromaget (1745). 9. Zilia et Cenie, par Francoise d'Isembourg d'Hippincourt de Graffigny. 10. Salned et Garalde, conte oriental, par A. H. De la Motte. 11. Anecdotes orientales, par G. Mailhol (2 vols. 1752). 12. Alzahel, traduit d'un manuscrit arabe, par Mdlle. Raigne de Malfontaine (Mercure, 1773). 13. Mahmoud le Gasnevide, conte oriental, par J. F. Melon. 14. Contes Orientaux, ou les recits du Sage Caleb, voyageur persan, par Mme. Mouet. 15. Nadir, par A. G. de Montdorge. 16. Lettres Persanes, de Montesquieu. 17. Les Amusements de Jour, ou recueil de petits contes, par Mme. de Mortemar. 18. Mirloh, conte oriental, par Martine de Morville (1769). 19. Ladila, anecdote turque (par la meme) 1769. 20. Daira, histoire orientale, par A. J. J. de la Riche de la Poupeliniere (1761). 21. Cara Mustapha, par de Preschat. 22. Des trois Nations, conte oriental, par Marianne Robert (1760). 23. Contes Orientaux, tires des manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi, 2 vols. 12mo (1749).

This is the same as the Count de Caylus' Oriental Tales. Sir R. F. Burton has received the following memorandum, respecting a copy of an earlier edition of the same work: "Contes Orientaux, tires des manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roy de France, ornes de figures en taille douce. A la Haye, 1743, 2 vols. 12mo, polished calf gilt, gilt edges, arms in gilt on the sides.

"The Preface says, 'M. Petit et M. Galland n'ont en aucune connaissance des manuscrits dont cet ouvrage est tire.'

"The Tales are from the MSS. and translations sent by those despatched by the French Ministers to Constantinople to learn Arabic, &c., and so become fit to act as Dragomans and Interpreters to the French Embassy."

There is a copy of this work in the British Museum; it proves, as I expected, to be the series of tales subsequently attributed to the Count de Caylus.

In addition to the above, the following, of which I can only give the names, are mentioned in the Cabinet des Fees, but not reprinted:—

1. Alma-Moulin, conte oriental, 1779. 2. Gengiskan, histoire orientale, par M. de St. M. 3. Almanzor et Zelira, conte arabe, par M. Bret. (1772). {From "les mercures."} 4. Almerine et Zelima, ou les Dangers de la Beaute, conte orientale, 1773. {From "les mercures."} 5. Les Ames, conte arabe, par M. B————. {From "les mercures."} 6. Balky, conte oriental, 1768. {From "les mercures."} 7. Mirza, ou Is necessite d'etre utile (1774). {From "les mercures."} 8. Zaman, histoire orientale, par M. B. {From "les mercures."} 9. Anecdotes Orientales, par Mayol, 1752.12mo. 10. Contes tres moguls. 11. Foka ou les Metamorphoses, conte chinois. Derobe a M. de V. 1777. 12mo. 12. Mahulem, histoire orientale. 12mo, 1776. 13. Mille et une heure, contes Peruviens. 4 vols. 12mo, 1733. 14. Histoire de Khedy, Hermite de Mont Ararat. Conte orientale, traduit de l'Anglais, 12mo, 1777. 15. Zambeddin, histoire orientale. 12mo, 1768. 16. Zelmoille et Zulmis et Turlableu. Par M. l'Abbe de Voisem, 12mo, 1747. 17. Roman Oriental, Paris, 1753.

The remaining imitations, &c., known to me I shall place roughly in chronological order, premising that I fear the list must be very incomplete, and that I have met with very few except in English and French.



A.—French



1. Zadig, ou la Destinee, par Voltaire[FN#473] probably partakes of classes 2 and 6; said to be partly based on Gueulette's "Soirees Bretonnes," published in 1712. The latter is included in Cabinet des Fees, Vol. 32.

2. Vathek, an Arabian Tale, by William Beckford. I include this book here because it was written and first published in French. Its popularity was once very great, and it contains some effective passages, though it belongs to Class 2, and is rather a parody than an imitation of Oriental fiction. The Caliph Vathek, after committing many crimes at the instance of his mother, the witch Carathis, in order to propitiate Eblis, finally starts on an expedition to Istakar. On the way, he seduces Nouronihar, the beautiful daughter of the Emir Fakreddin, and carries her with him to the Palace of Eblis, where they am condemned to wander eternally, with their hearts surrounded with flames.

This idea (which is certainly not Oriental, so far as I know) took the fancy of Byron, who was a great admirer of Vathek, and he has mixed it with genuine Oriental features in a powerful passage in the Giaour, beginning:

"But thou, false infidel! shalt writhe Beneath avenging Monkir's scythe; And from its torment 'scape alone To wander round lost Eblis' throne; And fire unquenched, unquenchable, Around, within thy heart shall dwell; Nor ear can hear, nor tongue can tell The tortures of that inward hell!" &c.

How errors relative to Eastern matters are perpetuated is illustrated by the fact that I have seen these lines quoted in some modern philosophical work as descriptive of the hell in which the Mohammedans believe!

Southey, in Thalaba, b. 1., speaks of the Sarsar, "the Icy Wind of Death," an expression which he probably borrowed from Vathek.

3. The Count of Hamilton's Fairy Tales. Written shortly after the first publication of Galland's work. There is an English Translation among Bohn's Extra Volumes.

4. Les Mille et un Fadaises, par Cazotte. Class 1. I have not seen them.

5. La Mille et deuxieme Nuit, par Theophilus Gautier (Paris, 1880). Probably Class 1 or 2; I have not seen it.



B.—English.



1. The Vision of Mirza (Addison in the "Spectator"). Class 3.

2. The Story of Amurath. Class 3. I do not know the author. I read it in a juvenile book published about the end of last century, entitled the Pleasing Instructor.

3. The Persian Tales of Inatulla of Delhi. Published in 1768, by Colonel Alexander Dow at Edinburgh. A French translation appeared at Amsterdam in two vols. and in Paris in one vol. (1769). Class 6. Chiefly founded on a wellknown Persian work, of which a more correct, though still incomplete, version was published in 3 vols. by Jonathan Scott in 1799, under the title of Bahar Danush, or Garden of Knowledge.

5. Rasselas, by Samuel Johnson. Class 3. Too well known to need comment.

6. Almoran and Hamet, by Dr. Hawksworth. Class 3. Very popular at the beginning of the present century, but now forgotten.

7. Oriental Fairy Tales (London, 1853). Class 4. A series of very pretty fairy tales, by an anonymous author, in which the scene is laid in the East (especially Egypt).

8. The Shaving of Shagpat, by George Meredith (London, 1855). Class 5. I prefer this to most other imitations of an Oriental tale.

9. The Thousand and One Humbugs. Classes 1 and 2. Published in "Household Words," vol. xi. (1855) pp. 265-267, 289-292, 313-316. Parodies on Nos. 1, 195, 6d, and 6e,f.

10. Eastern Tales, by many story-tellers. Compiled and edited from ancient and modern authors by Mrs. Valentine, author of "Sea Fights and Land Battles," &c. (Chandos Classics.)

In her preface, the authoress states that the tales "are gathered from both ancient and modern French, Italian and English sources."

Contains 14 tales, some genuine, others imitations, One, "Alischar and Smaragdine," is a genuine story of The Nights (No. 41 of our Table), and is probably taken from Trebutien. Three tales, "Jalaladeen," "Haschem," and "Jussuf," are Grimm's imitations, taken probably from the composite English edition of 1847, and with the same illustrations. "The Seven Sleepers" and the "Four Talismans" are from the Count de Caylus' tales; "Halechalbe" and "Bohetzad" (our No. 174) are from Chavis and Cazotte; "The Enchanters" and "Urad" are from the "Tales of the Genii"; and "The Pantofles" is the well-known story of the miser Casem and his slippers, but I know not where it first appeared. The remaining three tales are unknown to me, and as I have seen no volume of Italian Oriental tales, some, no doubt, are derived from the Italian sources of which the authoress spoke. They are the following: "The Prince and the Lions," "The City of the Demons" (a Jewish story purporting to have been written in England) and "Sadik Beg."

11. New Arabian Nights, by R. L. Stevenson (London, 1882).

12. More New Arabian Nights. The Dynamiter. By R. L. Stevenson and Vander Grift (London, 1882). Class 4.

Of these tales, Sir R. F. Burton observes, "The only visible connection with the old Nights is in the habit of seeking adventures under a disguise. The method is to make the main idea possible and the details extravagant. In another 'New Arabian Nights,' the joint production of MM. Brookfield, Besant and Pollock, the reverse treatment is affected, the leading idea being grotesque and impossible, and the details accurate and lifelike."



C.—German.



It is quite possible that there are many imitations in German, but I have not met with them. I can only mention one or two tales by Hauff (the Caliph turned Stork, and the Adventures of Said); a story called "Ali and Gulhindi," by what author I do not now remember; and some imitations said to be by Grimm, already mentioned in reference to the English composite edition of 1847. They are all European fairy tales, in an Eastern dress.



CONCLUSION.



Among books specially interesting to the student of The Nights, I may mention Weil's "Biblische Legenden der Muselmaenner, aus arabischen Quellen zusammengetragen, und mit juedischen Sagen verglichen" (Frankfort-on-Main, 1845). An anonymous English translation appeared in 1846 under the title of "The Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud," and it also formed one of the sources from which the Rev. S. Baring-Gould compiled his "Legends of Old Testament Characters" (2 vols., 1871). The late Prof. Palmer's "Life of Haroun Al-Raschid" (London, 1881), is not much more than a brief popular sketch. The references to The Nights in English and other European literatures are innumerable; but I cannot refrain from quoting Mark Twain's identification of Henry the Eighth with Shahryar (Huckleberry Finn, chap. xxiii).

"My, you ought to have seen old Henry the Eighth when he was in bloom. He was a blossom. He used to marry a new wife every day, and chop off her head next morning. And he would do it just as indifferent as if he was ordering up eggs. "Fetch up Nell Gwynn," he says. They fetch her up. Next morning, "Chop off her head." And they chop it off. "Fetch up Jane Shore," he says; and up she comes. Next morning, "Chop off her head." And they chop it off. "Ring up Fair Rosamun." Fair Rosamun answers the bell. Next morning, "Chop off her head." And he made every one of them tell him a tale every night, and he kept that up till he had hogged a thousand and one tales that way, and then he put them all in a book, and called it Domesday Book—which was a good name, and stated the case. You don't know kings, Jim, but I know them, and this old rip of ourn is one of the cleanest I've struck in history. Well, Henry, he takes a notion he wants to get up some trouble with this country. How does he do it—give notice?—give the country a show? No. All of a sudden he heaves all the tea in Boston Harbour overboard, and whacks out a declaration of independence, and dares them to come on. That was his style—he never give anybody a chance. He had suspicions of his father, the Duke of Wellington. Well, what did he do?—ask him to show up? No—drownded him in a butt of mamsey, like a cat. Spose people left money laying around where he was—what did he do? He collared it. Spose he contracted to do a thing, and you paid him, and didnt set down there and see that he done it—what did he do? He always done the other thing. Spose he opened his mouth—what then? If he didnt shut it up powerful quick, he'd lose a lie, every time. That's the kind of a bug Henry was."



COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE TALES IN THE PRINCIPAL EDITIONS OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS, viz.:—



1. Galland. 2. Caussin de Perceval. 3. Gauttier. 4. Scott's MS. (Wortley Montague). 5. Ditto (Anderson; marked A). 6. Scott's Arabian Nights. 7. Scott's Tales and Anecdotes (marked A). 8. Von Hammer's MS. 9. Zinserling. 10. Lamb. 11. Trebutien. 12. Bul. text. 13. Lane. 14. Bres. text. 15. Habicht. 16. Weil. 17. Mac. text. 18. Torrens. 19. Payne. 20. Payne's Tales from the Arabic (marked I. II. III.) 21. Calc. 22. Burton.

As nearly all editions of The Nights are in several volumes, the volumes are indicated throughout, except in the case of some of the texts. Only those tales in No. 5, not included in No. 4, are here indicated in the same column. All tales which there is good reason to believe do not belong to the genuine Nights are marked with an asterisk.

The blank column may be used to enter the contents of some other edition. Galland. "Bul." Text. Burton. Caussin de Perceval. Lane. Gauttier. "Bres." Text. Scott's MS. Habicht. Scott. Weil. Von Hammer's MS. "Mac." Text Zinserling. Torrens. Lamb. Payne. Trebutien Calc. [ 1. 2. 3. 4,5 6,7 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 22.]

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . - ... ... 1 - VHa ... ... ... + 1 + ... 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 Story of King Shahryar and his brother . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 a. Tale of the Bull and the Ass . . . . 1 1 1 A 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 1. Tale of the Trader and the Jinni . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 a. The First Shaykh's Story . . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 b. The Second Shaykh's Story . . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 c. The Third Shaykh's Story . . . . . - - ... 1 - VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 - ... 1 2. The Fisherman and the Jinni . . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 a. Tale of the Wazir and the Sage Duban . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 ab. Story of King Sindibad and his Falcon . - - ... ? - VHa ... ... ... + - - - 1 + 1 1 - ... 1 ac. Tale of the Husband and the Parrot . . 1 1 1 ? 1 VHa ... ... ... - 1 + 1 1 - - - + ... 1 ad. Tale of the Prince and the Ogress . . 1 1 1 ? 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ... 1 b. Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 VHa ... ... ... + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 + ...