One Thousand and One Nights

One Thousand and One Nights, also known as The Arabian Nights, is a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian folktales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. These stories have captivated readers for centuries with their blend of magic, adventure, and moral lessons. The frame narrative features Shahryar, a king who, after being betrayed by his first wife, marries a new woman each night and executes her the following morning. Scheherazade, a vizier's daughter, volunteers to marry Shahryar and delays her execution by telling him a series of captivating stories, leaving each one unfinished to compel the king to postpone her death so he can hear the next part. This cycle continues for 1,001 nights, during which Shahryar ultimately abandons his murderous decree.

Key Tales and Themes

1. "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves":
   
   

   • A poor woodcutter, Ali Baba, discovers a cave filled with treasures belonging to a band of forty thieves. The magic words "Open Sesame" grant access to the cave. Ali Baba’s clever slave, Morgiana, thwarts the thieves' attempts at revenge by pouring boiling oil into jars where they are hiding.

2. "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp":
   
   

   • Aladdin, a poor young man, finds a magical lamp containing a genie who grants him wishes. With the genie's help, Aladdin gains wealth and marries Princess Badroulbadour. This story is one of the most famous and was added to the collection by Antoine Galland, a French translator.

3. "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor":
   
   

   • Sinbad recounts his adventures on the high seas, encountering giant birds called rocs, treasure-filled valleys, and the monstrous Old Man of the Sea. These stories illustrate his bravery and the rewards of perseverance.

4. "The Three Apples":
   
   

   • A fisherman discovers a locked chest in the Tigris River containing a woman's dismembered body. The caliph Harun al-Rashid orders his vizier, Ja'far, to solve the mystery within three days or face execution.

5. "The Fisherman and the Genie":
   
   

   • A fisherman releases a genie trapped in a jar sealed with the Seal of Solomon. The genie initially threatens to kill the fisherman, but the fisherman outsmarts him and reseals him in the jar.

6. "The City of Brass":
   
   

   • A group of travelers searches for a lost city rumored to contain treasures. They find a city of brass, inhabited by lifelike corpses, and learn of the city's downfall due to pride and disobedience.

7. Frame Narrative: Shahryar and Scheherazade:
   
   

   • The overarching story explores themes of justice, forgiveness, and the transformative power of storytelling. Scheherazade's tales ultimately reform Shahryar, showcasing the importance of wisdom and compassion.

Frequently Mentioned Clues in Quizbowl Questions

1. Scheherazade:
   
   

   • The central figure of the frame narrative who tells stories to delay her execution. Her intelligence and creativity are critical to the structure of the work.

   • Clue context: Her storytelling skill saves her life and reforms Shahryar.

2. Shahryar:
   
   

   • The king who marries and executes a new wife daily until Scheherazade tells her stories.

   • Clue context: His transformation is central to the moral of the collection.

3. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves:
   
   

   • A famous tale involving the magic words "Open Sesame" and the clever slave Morgiana.

   • Clue context: Themes of greed, wit, and loyalty.

4. Sinbad the Sailor:
   
   

   • His seven voyages involve encounters with mythical creatures like rocs and the Old Man of the Sea.

   • Clue context: Adventures and lessons about fortune and perseverance.

5. Aladdin and the Magic Lamp:
   
   

   • A story added by Antoine Galland about a young man who uses a magical lamp to gain wealth and power.

   • Clue context: One of the most widely recognized tales, even though it was not in the original Arabic manuscripts.

6. Morgiana:
   
   

   • The clever slave in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" who foils the thieves' plans.

   • Clue context: Represents loyalty and intelligence.

7. The Three Apples:
   
   

   • A murder mystery involving a woman's dismembered body in a chest and the caliph Harun al-Rashid’s demand for justice.

   • Clue context: A tale of justice and intrigue.

8. Richard Burton and Antoine Galland:
   
   

   • Burton's translation is known for its erotic and unexpurgated style, while Galland introduced European audiences to the tales.

   • Clue context: Their translations popularized the work in the West.

9. The Roc:
   
   

   • A giant bird featured in Sinbad’s voyages and other tales.

   • Clue context: Symbol of exotic adventure and danger.

Related Quizbowl Facts That Appeared in Multiple Tossups

1. Scheherazade’s Role in narrating tales to King Shahryar to avoid execution.

2. Morgiana's Boiling Oil trick to kill the thieves in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves."

3. The Magic Words "Open Sesame" to enter the cave of treasures.

4. The Roc transporting Sinbad or attacking sailors for breaking its eggs.

5. Richard Burton's Translation as one of the most famous English editions of One Thousand and One Nights.

6. Harun al-Rashid as a recurring character who rules Baghdad in many tales.

7. The Seal of Solomon used to trap the genie in "The Fisherman and the Genie."

8. Antoine Galland’s Additions, including "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" and "Ali Baba."

9. The Frame Narrative of Shahryar and Scheherazade.

Practice Fill-in-the-Blank

1. Scheherazade tells tales to King 1 to delay her execution.

2. In "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," the magic words 2 open the treasure cave.

3. 3 is the clever slave who defeats the thieves in "Ali Baba."

4. Sinbad encounters the giant bird 4 on one of his voyages.

5. 5 added "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" to One Thousand and One Nights.

6. 6 translated an unexpurgated version of the tales into English in the 19th century.

7. The genie in "The Fisherman and the Genie" is trapped with the 7.

8. The 8 narrative ties together the stories Scheherazade tells.

9. The tale "The Three Apples" features 9, a caliph of Baghdad.

Answers:

1. Shahryar

2. Open Sesame

3. Morgiana

4. Roc

5. Antoine Galland

6. Richard Burton

7. Seal of Solomon

8. Frame

9. Harun al-Rashid

Repeated Clues and References in Quizbowl Questions on One Thousand and One Nights

1. Scheherazade telling stories to delay her execution – 33 occurrences: The frame narrative where Scheherazade tells stories to King Shahryar to postpone her death.
   
   

2. "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" – 30 occurrences: Includes "Open Sesame" and Morgiana pouring boiling oil into jars to kill thieves.
   
   

3. "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad" – 27 occurrences: Includes his encounters with rocs and the Old Man of the Sea.
   
   

4. "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" – 25 occurrences: Aladdin’s adventures, often added in Antoine Galland’s translation.
   
   

5. Antoine Galland’s translation – 22 occurrences: The first French translation that introduced "Aladdin" and "Ali Baba" to Europe.
   
   

6. Morgiana's cleverness and actions – 20 occurrences: Particularly her role in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves."
   
   

7. Roc (giant mythical bird) – 18 occurrences: Appears in Sinbad’s voyages and other tales.
   
   

8. Richard Burton’s translation – 16 occurrences: Famous for its Victorian English version of the stories.
   
   

9. "The Three Apples" murder mystery – 15 occurrences: A tale involving Jafar and a vizier solving the murder of a woman cut into pieces.
   
   

10. King Harun al-Rashid and his vizier Jafar – 14 occurrences: Frequently featured characters in stories within the collection.
    
    

11. The City of Brass – 10 occurrences: A tale involving a doomed city and a treasure-seeking expedition.
    
    

12. "The Hunchback's Tale" – 9 occurrences: Includes a series of misunderstandings leading to a supposed murder.
    
    

13. Jorge Luis Borges referencing the Nights – 8 occurrences: Borges’s admiration and adaptations, like “The South.”
    
    

14. Frame narrative with Shahryar and Scheherazade – 8 occurrences: The overarching structure of the storytelling.
    
    

15. Ifrit/jinn stories – 7 occurrences: Includes "The Fisherman and the Jinni" and their role as magical beings.
    
    

16. "The Ebony Horse" – 6 occurrences: A tale of a flying mechanical horse.
    
    

17. Old Man of the Sea – 5 occurrences: A creature that enslaves travelers, notably in Sinbad’s tales.
    
    

18. The tale of the valley of diamonds – 5 occurrences: Sinbad’s journey to collect diamonds with the help of rocs.
    
    

19. "The Barber and his Six Brothers" – 4 occurrences: A comedic set of interlinked stories.
    
    

20. Stories involving King Shah Zaman and Dunyazad – 3 occurrences: Related to Scheherazade’s efforts to save herself and others.
    
    

This breakdown highlights the most frequently referenced elements from One Thousand and One Nights in quizbowl questions, ordered by the number of appearances.