The Tales of One Thousand and One Arabian Nights?
2007-03-19 06:12:37 · 8 answers · asked by Jim 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Scheherazade told a story and a half each night so she wouldn't be killed! Her husband would be suckered each night into keeping her alive so he could hear the rest of the story. :P Great story, huh? :D
2007-03-19 06:15:04 · answer #1 · answered by AMEWzing 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it was something like this: The king used to sleep with a virgin every night and then kill. And so when the town was out of virgins and only 2 Sharazade and her sister were left, she tricks the king and says they'll sleep only after she is done story telling. And then she keeps going on and on for 1001 nights until the king finally changes his custom.
2007-03-19 06:17:45 · answer #2 · answered by The Machine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The caliph marries a new woman each day and in the morning has her killed. Scheherazade tells him a fascinating tale on their wedding night, but finishes before the end. He doesn't have her killed because he wants to hear the end. Each night, she finishes the previous tale and starts another.Each morning, he lets her live to finish. Eventually, he tells her, he will not have her executed.
2007-03-19 06:17:35 · answer #3 · answered by Elizabeth Howard 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There were once two brothers who were kings, Shahryar and Shahzaman. Shahzaman went to visit Shahryar and set out, then realised he had forgotten a present so returned. He discovered his wife being unfaithful with a slave, so he killed them both and set off again to visit his brother. Shahryar was happy to see his brother but noticed that he seemed very miserable. Shahzaman wouldn't say what was wrong and was too miserable to go out hunting with his brother. So, he was there moping about the palace and saw his brother's wife participating in an orgy with 20 male and 20 female slaves. At this he realised that sad and betrayed though he felt, he wasn't in such a bad position as his brother. Shahryar came back from hunting and saw that Shahzaman was looking happier and asked why. Shahryar told him what his own wife had been up to that made him miserable but would not at first tell about his brother's wife. However, when he eventually did, they both came to the conclusion that no woman could ever be trusted. His brother returned home and Shahryar had his wife's head cut off and thoe of all the slaves. After that he told the vizier to bring him a fresh virgin girl every night, and next morning had her killed. This carried on for 3 years until only the vizier's own daughters were left, Shahrazad and Dunyazad, and Shahrazad volunteeered.
By telling stories and leaving them unfinished, she kept the king interested for 3 years. During that time she improbably gave birth to 3 children, first a son which she managed with no time off, and later to twins who caused her to take 20 days off sick. Dunyazad had been present for all the storytelling and she begged the king not to kill the mother of his three sons. The king was by now completely won over by all the wisdom of Shahrazad's stories and he sent for his brother to tell him of his change of heart. Shahzaman was so impressed that he resolved to marry Dunyazad. Shahrazad agreed on condition that they continued to live with them, so the faithful vizier was made king of Shahzaman's kingdom instead.
And they all lived happily ever after.......
2007-03-21 12:29:35 · answer #4 · answered by LadyOok 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
At one level, it was so that the Sultan would not tire of her and kill her. Her stories led him to fall in love with her, and she became his favorite.
There are other levels to this story, as it is an allegory for the seeker and the Beloved--magic carpets refer to praying and doing spiritual practices, for example. The number 1001 has mystical significance as well-Sufi initiates are often given a practice to do 1001 times for 1001 days.
2007-03-19 06:18:15 · answer #5 · answered by KCBA 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well, she tells them to save her life, because the man she was forced to marry wants to cut her head off after the first wedding night. so, she starts telling him a story that night, but doen't finish it, so he is anxious to hear the end and spares her life for another night. then next night she starts another story and the cycle repeats
2007-03-19 11:29:29 · answer #6 · answered by mimma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's to stop her paranoid newly wed husband from killing her. In the story he was known for killing his brides the night of the wedding, so she mesmerised him with stories until he realised that he loved her.
2007-03-23 10:38:50 · answer #7 · answered by inknoodles78 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So she can stay alive!
2007-03-19 10:28:10 · answer #8 · answered by Jude 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋