The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 10 (of 10)

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

3444

Title

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 10 (of 10)

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Richard F. Burton's final volume of his monumental translation offers a rich blend of Arabian Nights tales and scholarly essays on Arabic prosody, culture, and literature. With intimate anthropological notes and poetic analysis, this edition provides deep insight into Eastern life, customs, and the intricate art of Arab verse.

Summary up to 500 words

In this concluding volume of Richard F. Burton's translation of *The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night*, the narrative arc reaches its dramatic finale with the story of Ma'aruf the Cobbler and his wife Fatimah. The hero, Wakhs El Fellat, successfully rescues Princess Shama from the clutches of an evil Jinni named Mukhtatif, who had been summoned by a treacherous vizier to abduct her. Despite the terrifying presence of the supernatural fiend, Wakhs displays extraordinary bravery, striking off the Jinni's hand and driving him away with a single blow. Following this deliverance, social obstacles arise as the King's vizier demands an impossible dowry: the head of Sudun, a fierce Ethiopian warlord guarding a formidable fortress. Undeterred by these challenges, Wakhs undertakes a perilous journey to confront Sudun. In a display of both martial prowess and divine intervention, he infiltrates the enemy stronghold with Princess Shama's assistance, overcoming magical traps and deadly guards to emerge victorious. Their union is thus secured, celebrating themes of love, courage, and the triumph of virtue over sorcery and tribal hostility. Beyond the tale itself, Burton provides a substantial terminal essay dedicated to Arabic prosody. He meticulously analyzes complex meters such as Rajaz and Ramal, defending the intricate structure of Arab verse against Western prejudices that often dismissed it as clumsy. Citing historical anecdotes and comparing structures to European poetry, he demonstrates how these meters naturally arise from the language's grammatical system. He illustrates the emotional resonance of different rhythms, noting that iambic metres convey gladness while trochaic ones express sadness. The volume also features extensive bibliographic notes and indexes contributed by W. F. Kirby, offering readers a comprehensive resource for understanding variations across Arabic editions and the anthropological context of Moslem society. Burton concludes with a personal reflection on his quarter-century of labor, expressing gratitude to his readers and asserting that his anthropological notes serve as a necessary protest against ignorance regarding Eastern customs and manners.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fairy Tales
• Arab Literature