151 Stories of Arabian Nights

The blind man Abdulla continued, “I was born in Baghdad and lost my parents in quick succession. After working hard, I became the owner of 80 camels. I made friends with a dervish who informed me about treasure near the mountains. I became greedy and went along with him to the mountains. There appeared a […]

One day, Caliph Haroon Al-Rashid was in a pensive mood. The grand wazir seeing him sad, reminded him of the day that was earmarked to understand how justice was done and the order was restored in the kingdom. The Caliph delightedly took him to the town in disguise. When he saw a blind beggar, he

Aladdin, a lazy son of a tailor, never did anything for a living. One fine day, a magician visited them and claimed to be his father’s brother. He cunningly took him to a mountain asking him to bring a lamp from inside the cave with a ring and left him inside. When Aladdin, by mistake,

Zinebi, the King of Balsora had two wazir, Khakan and Saouy. Khakan bought a beautiful Persian slave for the king and named her ‘The Fair Persian’. The Casanova Nuruddin, Khakan’s son, soon threw his intentions before her. That Nuruddin shouldn’t mis­use her, Khakan trickily advised him to make her his wife. When all his money

Marzavan, the Princess’s foster brother got the Prince’s coat dipped in blood and left it on the road to dodge the King about his son’s death. Both left for China to the Princess. The Prince dressed as an astrologer entered the palace declaring that he would relieve the beautiful Princess of her ailment, who after

In the isle of Khaledan, there lived King Shah Zaman ever worried about his son Camaral Zaman, for the latter always resentment to get married. The Prince insisted to choose his own bride and only when he was old enough to marry. The King captivated him in a tower along with a slave. One day,

The barber’s sixth brother, Schacabac, too got 100 silver drachmas as inheritance but he lost them due to his carelessness. He wanted to make a living by scrounging on rich people. One day, he entered a mansion and met master Barmecide and implored him for charity. Barmecide invited him to eat the food and wine

The lazy Alnaschar, one of 7 children of an old man, inherited 100 drachmas after his father’s death. He spent them in buying glasses and bottles from wholesale market to sell at profits in a retail store. Suddenly, he started talking so loud to himself that the next door barber heard his every word. Dreaming

Once in the kingdom of Tashgar of the Great Tartary, a tailor, amused by the music of a fellow hunchback, decided to take him home to divert his wife. The trio took a heavy supper that night, amid which the hunchback swallowed a large fishbone that stroked his throat and caused him death. Out of

Though I had determined never to undertake a voyage yet, I was unable to refuse the Caliph’s earnest request to travel to the Indian city of Serendib. The King of Serendib received me with warmth and happiness as he was very happy to receive several exquisite gifts from the Caliph. After entertaining me, the King

I had accumulated so much wealth that I need not have gone after wealth beyond the seas. All my people discouraged me. But I still decided to travel to a distant Indian port with an experienced Captain. We sailed for a few days and were struck by a terrible storm when the ship was broken

The fifth voyage was different. It was my own built ship and I carried along the traders of different nationalities. When we anchored the first island, I saw the eggs of the crocodiles, so huge that the traders despite my warning cooked and ate them. When the crocodiles saw the remains of their offspring, they

My fourth voyage started with a shipwreck and being drifted to an island full of black, small people. Six of us were taken into a hut and made to eat some herbs. I cleverly pretended to eat but other companions ate them and became totally insane. They were fed with rice daily to make them

The third voyage started well with good merchants and ship. After setting sail from Basrah, a storm in a few days got us drifted to a strange island of savages with red fur just two feet tall. They forcibly took us to another island and left us there. In the distance we saw a castle

Though I had decided not to embark upon any voyages yet, I attempted them again. I chose a good ship with good traders for my second voyage. First, we landed on an island without any people or houses but with plenty of fruits and flowers. But to my amazement, I slept so well that I