Desperately trying to avoid execution by her husband, the Sultan, Scheherezade hits upon the ingenious scheme of starting a suspenseful story each night, leaving the conclusion for the following evening. The sultan is spellbound by these cliffhangers. By the time a 1001 nights and stories have gone by, the sultan is ready to spare Scheherezade's life.
The best known of these stories are those of Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor, and Aladdin.
Although many of the stories are set in India, their origins are unknown and have been the subject of intensive scholarly investigation. The present form of Thousand and One Nights is thought to be native to Persia or one of the Arabic-speaking countries, but includes stories from a number of different countries and no doubt reflects diverse source material.
A Scheherezade is a spinner of tales, one who holds people enthralled with stories.
Illustrator Edmund Dulac.
