"Shahrazad turned to King Shahrayar and said, 'May I have your permission to tell a story?' He replied, 'Yes,' and Shahrazad was very happy and said, 'Listen': It is said, O wise and happy King..." ~ The Arabian Nights
"The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey" and "The Tale of the merchant and His Wife"
While "The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey" and "The Tale of the Merchant and His Wife" are not stories told by Shahrazad they are equally as important. Both of these tales were told to Shahrazad by her father in an attempt to discourage her from marrying the King.
The first, "The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey" tells the story of an ox who expresses discontentment about his being overworked in the fields day in a day out while the donkey, whom only serves as occasional transportation for the merchant, is fed better, cared for better, and given a better sleeping space. In response to hearing of the ox's disdain for his living conditions the donkey offers a piece of advice.
He tells the ox that he should reject the food he is given and act as though his days tasks have worn heavily on him. The donkey says that in doing this all of the ox's complaints will be addressed by the merchant. Heading this advice the ox feigns sickness and is given the day off. However, the donkey's advice backfires on him. The merchant, who with an ability to understand the language of the animals, hears the advice that the donkey has given the ox. For this reason the donkey is given the ox's daily jobs. As the tale draws to a close the donkey realizes that his having to work in the ox's place was because of his own miscalculation and tries to rectify his error.
The second tale, "The Tale of the Merchant and His Wife" begins where the first left off. The donkey tries to convince the ox that the merchant has decided to call the butcher to slay the ox, and that the ox should stop feigning ill. As this conversation proceeds the merchant watches on and laughs at the unfolding situation. His wife wonders and subsequently asks him what is the reason for his laughter. The merchant tells his wife that he can not divulge "the secret conversation of the animals" for fear of death. Dissatisfied with his answer the merchant's wife pesters him continually pleading with him to tell her what has made him laugh even if it means his death. The merchant gives into his wife's request and tells her to gather their family and close friends. He announces to everyone his impending death and even draws up a will.
Before the time had come for the merchant to tell his wife what had made him laugh he overheard another conversation, this time between the dog and a rooster. The dog, saddened at the thought of his master dying questioned the rooster who seemed unfazed by the current situation of the merchant and instead went about clapping his wings and jumping from one hen to another. The rooster justified his actions by calling out the merchant's inability to manage his only wife and stating that "he should take an oak branch, push her into a room, lock the door, and fall on her with the stick, beating her mercilessly until he breaks her arms and legs and she cries out, 'I no longer want you to tell me or explain anything.'" Hearing this the merchant grabbed an oak branch and did exactly as the rooster had suggested until his wife no longer wanted him to tell her.
In both tales the vizier, Shahrazad's father fails to draw any parallels to the situation Shahrazad finds herself in. This lack of real comparison causes the tale to instead presents itself as an empty threat from her father that he will "do to [her] what the merchant did to his wife". Both tales were meant to be lessons to deter Shahrazad from going through with her plan however, since neither tale manage to forge any connections between the two circumstances the lessons are nonexistent. Unlike Shahrazad, the vizier fails to recognize his audience when telling his stories and is unable to connect to Shahrazad in such a way that will move her to reconsider her plans.
While "The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey" and "The Tale of the Merchant and His Wife" are not stories told by Shahrazad they are equally as important. Both of these tales were told to Shahrazad by her father in an attempt to discourage her from marrying the King.
The first, "The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey" tells the story of an ox who expresses discontentment about his being overworked in the fields day in a day out while the donkey, whom only serves as occasional transportation for the merchant, is fed better, cared for better, and given a better sleeping space. In response to hearing of the ox's disdain for his living conditions the donkey offers a piece of advice.
He tells the ox that he should reject the food he is given and act as though his days tasks have worn heavily on him. The donkey says that in doing this all of the ox's complaints will be addressed by the merchant. Heading this advice the ox feigns sickness and is given the day off. However, the donkey's advice backfires on him. The merchant, who with an ability to understand the language of the animals, hears the advice that the donkey has given the ox. For this reason the donkey is given the ox's daily jobs. As the tale draws to a close the donkey realizes that his having to work in the ox's place was because of his own miscalculation and tries to rectify his error.
The second tale, "The Tale of the Merchant and His Wife" begins where the first left off. The donkey tries to convince the ox that the merchant has decided to call the butcher to slay the ox, and that the ox should stop feigning ill. As this conversation proceeds the merchant watches on and laughs at the unfolding situation. His wife wonders and subsequently asks him what is the reason for his laughter. The merchant tells his wife that he can not divulge "the secret conversation of the animals" for fear of death. Dissatisfied with his answer the merchant's wife pesters him continually pleading with him to tell her what has made him laugh even if it means his death. The merchant gives into his wife's request and tells her to gather their family and close friends. He announces to everyone his impending death and even draws up a will.
Before the time had come for the merchant to tell his wife what had made him laugh he overheard another conversation, this time between the dog and a rooster. The dog, saddened at the thought of his master dying questioned the rooster who seemed unfazed by the current situation of the merchant and instead went about clapping his wings and jumping from one hen to another. The rooster justified his actions by calling out the merchant's inability to manage his only wife and stating that "he should take an oak branch, push her into a room, lock the door, and fall on her with the stick, beating her mercilessly until he breaks her arms and legs and she cries out, 'I no longer want you to tell me or explain anything.'" Hearing this the merchant grabbed an oak branch and did exactly as the rooster had suggested until his wife no longer wanted him to tell her.
In both tales the vizier, Shahrazad's father fails to draw any parallels to the situation Shahrazad finds herself in. This lack of real comparison causes the tale to instead presents itself as an empty threat from her father that he will "do to [her] what the merchant did to his wife". Both tales were meant to be lessons to deter Shahrazad from going through with her plan however, since neither tale manage to forge any connections between the two circumstances the lessons are nonexistent. Unlike Shahrazad, the vizier fails to recognize his audience when telling his stories and is unable to connect to Shahrazad in such a way that will move her to reconsider her plans.
"The Story of the Merchant and the Demon"
The novel tells of this wealthy merchant who travels from town to town selling goods. Then this old demon arrived and pulled out his sword to kill the merchant. Asking the demon why he wanted to kill him, the demon replied that the merchant had killed his son when he threw the date pit and it hit him in the head. The merchant then begged the demon for time to say his good byes to his family and his wife and his kids. The demon agreed to give the man one year to return only after the merchant swore as God as a witness.
When the merchant returned home and told of his troubles to his wife and children they all mourned. He than wrote his will, divided his property, discharged his obligations to people, left bequests and gifts, distributed alms, and engaged reciters to read portions of the Quaran in his house. Then he summoned legal witnesses and in their presence freed his slaves and slave-girls, divided among his elder children their shares of the property, appointed guardians for his little ones, and gave his wife her share according to her marriage contract. (Haddawy p. 19) As the year came to an end, the merchant tearfully said his good byes and traveled to the orchard exactly one year later. As he was waiting under the tree for the demon, an old man walked by with a deer and asked why he was sitting in the orchard which is filled with demons and devils. The merchant told the old man his story and the old man was so amazed that he wanted to see what would happen to the merchant. As the two men sat and waited for the demon, another old man walked by with two black hounds and asked what they were doing there. The first old man told his the story of the merchant and the demon. The other man also wanted to see what would happen to the merchant and sat down. Then a third old man walked by and asked, “Why do I see the two of you sitting here, with this merchant between you, looking abject, sad, and dejected?”(Haddawy p. 21) They told the old man of the merchant and the demon and that they were waiting to see what would happen to the merchant. This man of course wanted to see what the demon would do the merchant and sat down with the three men. Suddenly they saw the demon approaching them with his sword drawn and they began to weep and wail.
The first old man with the deer approached the demon and asked, “If I tell you what happened to me and that deer, and you find it strange and amazing, indeed more amazing than what happened to you and the merchant, will you grant me a third of your claim on him for his crime and guilt?”(Haddawy p. 22) The demon agreed and the man began to tell his story. The old man said that this deer was his cousin and he was married to her for thirty years. They could not have a child so he had a son with a mistress. His wife became jealous of his mistress and his son and caste a spell of them. She turned the son into a bull and the mistress into a cow. She then gave them to a shepherd who took them out with the other animals. She told her husband that his mistress had died and his son had run away. As the Great Feast of the Immolation approached, the man told the shepherd to get a cow for sacrifice. He returned with the mistress that had been turned into a cow and as the husband went to slaughter the cow it began to cry. The shepherd then slaughtered the cow and it had no meat or fat. The shepherd then brought a bull, the mans son, to be sacrificed and the bull ran at the husband and bowed at his feet. The husband wanted to spare him but his wife insisted, the bull began to cry and rolled at the mans feet until the husband spared him. The next day the shepherd came to the man and told him that his daughter knows magic and could tell that the bull was the man’s son and the slaughtered cow was the man’s mistress. The next day the man asked the shepherd’s daughter to reverse the spell and she agreed to do so only if she could marry his son and could put a spell on his wife. The son became human and the wife was turned into a deer. After hearing this strange story the demon granted the old man one third of the man’s life. (Haddawy p. 24-25)
Then the second old man with the two black hounds approached the demon and asked the same of the demon if he told the demon his story about the two hounds. They demon agreed and the old man told his story. The man said that these two hounds are his brothers. When their father died he had left his three sons with money and they each opened a shop. One brother sold his shop and bought goods to trade as he left to travel. One year later a beggar came to the old mans shop and asked for food and clothes. The beggar was told to leave when he asked the shop owner if he recognized him because he was one of his brothers. They old man took in his brother and split his wealth with him. Soon after the second brother sold his shop and went off on a trading journey. He too returned a year later with no money or goods. The old man again split his wealth with his other brother and he opened a shop again. Every year the two brothers would ask the old man if he wanted to go on a trading trip with them but he always refused until finally he agreed. He asked his brothers how much money they had for the trip but they each had squandered all of it. He then sold all of his goods and received six thousand dinars. He brought three thousand with them and buried the other three thousand in the ground for when they return. They traveled to far countries and made a lot of money and upon boarding their ship back; the old man met a girl who asked him to take her with him. He agreed and they married but his brother grew jealous of them and one night they there him and his wife into the sea. His wife turned into a she demon and brought him to an island. She told him that she wanted to kill his brothers but he insisted that she doesn’t. She then brings him back to his home and he digs up his money and reopens his shop. On the road he finds these two hounds tied up and she tells him that they are his two brothers and that they will stay like this for ten years. He then told the demon that he was on his way to the she demon with the hounds when he met the merchant. The demon grants his one third of the merchant’s life. (Haddawy p. 28-29)
Then the third old man approaches the demon and asks of the same if he tells the demon an even more amazing story that the other two old men. The demon agreed and the old man tells of a story that is stranger and more amazing then the first two. The demon was amazed and granted the old man one third of the merchant’s life. The demon released the merchant and went on his way. The merchant thanked the three old men and they all parted. The merchant then returned to his family and wife and kids. (Haddiwy p. 29)
The novel tells of this wealthy merchant who travels from town to town selling goods. Then this old demon arrived and pulled out his sword to kill the merchant. Asking the demon why he wanted to kill him, the demon replied that the merchant had killed his son when he threw the date pit and it hit him in the head. The merchant then begged the demon for time to say his good byes to his family and his wife and his kids. The demon agreed to give the man one year to return only after the merchant swore as God as a witness.
When the merchant returned home and told of his troubles to his wife and children they all mourned. He than wrote his will, divided his property, discharged his obligations to people, left bequests and gifts, distributed alms, and engaged reciters to read portions of the Quaran in his house. Then he summoned legal witnesses and in their presence freed his slaves and slave-girls, divided among his elder children their shares of the property, appointed guardians for his little ones, and gave his wife her share according to her marriage contract. (Haddawy p. 19) As the year came to an end, the merchant tearfully said his good byes and traveled to the orchard exactly one year later. As he was waiting under the tree for the demon, an old man walked by with a deer and asked why he was sitting in the orchard which is filled with demons and devils. The merchant told the old man his story and the old man was so amazed that he wanted to see what would happen to the merchant. As the two men sat and waited for the demon, another old man walked by with two black hounds and asked what they were doing there. The first old man told his the story of the merchant and the demon. The other man also wanted to see what would happen to the merchant and sat down. Then a third old man walked by and asked, “Why do I see the two of you sitting here, with this merchant between you, looking abject, sad, and dejected?”(Haddawy p. 21) They told the old man of the merchant and the demon and that they were waiting to see what would happen to the merchant. This man of course wanted to see what the demon would do the merchant and sat down with the three men. Suddenly they saw the demon approaching them with his sword drawn and they began to weep and wail.
The first old man with the deer approached the demon and asked, “If I tell you what happened to me and that deer, and you find it strange and amazing, indeed more amazing than what happened to you and the merchant, will you grant me a third of your claim on him for his crime and guilt?”(Haddawy p. 22) The demon agreed and the man began to tell his story. The old man said that this deer was his cousin and he was married to her for thirty years. They could not have a child so he had a son with a mistress. His wife became jealous of his mistress and his son and caste a spell of them. She turned the son into a bull and the mistress into a cow. She then gave them to a shepherd who took them out with the other animals. She told her husband that his mistress had died and his son had run away. As the Great Feast of the Immolation approached, the man told the shepherd to get a cow for sacrifice. He returned with the mistress that had been turned into a cow and as the husband went to slaughter the cow it began to cry. The shepherd then slaughtered the cow and it had no meat or fat. The shepherd then brought a bull, the mans son, to be sacrificed and the bull ran at the husband and bowed at his feet. The husband wanted to spare him but his wife insisted, the bull began to cry and rolled at the mans feet until the husband spared him. The next day the shepherd came to the man and told him that his daughter knows magic and could tell that the bull was the man’s son and the slaughtered cow was the man’s mistress. The next day the man asked the shepherd’s daughter to reverse the spell and she agreed to do so only if she could marry his son and could put a spell on his wife. The son became human and the wife was turned into a deer. After hearing this strange story the demon granted the old man one third of the man’s life. (Haddawy p. 24-25)
Then the second old man with the two black hounds approached the demon and asked the same of the demon if he told the demon his story about the two hounds. They demon agreed and the old man told his story. The man said that these two hounds are his brothers. When their father died he had left his three sons with money and they each opened a shop. One brother sold his shop and bought goods to trade as he left to travel. One year later a beggar came to the old mans shop and asked for food and clothes. The beggar was told to leave when he asked the shop owner if he recognized him because he was one of his brothers. They old man took in his brother and split his wealth with him. Soon after the second brother sold his shop and went off on a trading journey. He too returned a year later with no money or goods. The old man again split his wealth with his other brother and he opened a shop again. Every year the two brothers would ask the old man if he wanted to go on a trading trip with them but he always refused until finally he agreed. He asked his brothers how much money they had for the trip but they each had squandered all of it. He then sold all of his goods and received six thousand dinars. He brought three thousand with them and buried the other three thousand in the ground for when they return. They traveled to far countries and made a lot of money and upon boarding their ship back; the old man met a girl who asked him to take her with him. He agreed and they married but his brother grew jealous of them and one night they there him and his wife into the sea. His wife turned into a she demon and brought him to an island. She told him that she wanted to kill his brothers but he insisted that she doesn’t. She then brings him back to his home and he digs up his money and reopens his shop. On the road he finds these two hounds tied up and she tells him that they are his two brothers and that they will stay like this for ten years. He then told the demon that he was on his way to the she demon with the hounds when he met the merchant. The demon grants his one third of the merchant’s life. (Haddawy p. 28-29)
Then the third old man approaches the demon and asks of the same if he tells the demon an even more amazing story that the other two old men. The demon agreed and the old man tells of a story that is stranger and more amazing then the first two. The demon was amazed and granted the old man one third of the merchant’s life. The demon released the merchant and went on his way. The merchant thanked the three old men and they all parted. The merchant then returned to his family and wife and kids. (Haddiwy p. 29)
"The Story of the Porter and the Three Ladies"
A porter is sitting on a crate at the harbor. A beautiful lady appears and says: “Take up your crate and follow me.” They walk through Baghdad and she buys all kinds of things and puts them in the crate. When they arrive at her home he is invited to enter the house. Two ladies are also in the house: the portress and the procuratrix. He is invited to stay for the night on one condition: “Whoso speaketh of what concerneth him not, shall hear what pleaseth him not!” Three Persian Kalanders arrive at the door. They enter the house and stay under the same condition. Later on Caliph Harun al-Rashid and Ja’afar his Wazir join the group in disguise.
The party celebrates but then one of the ladies orders two bitches to be brought and beats them. After that one of the ladies sings a song, faints and shows scars of the beating of a rod. When the portress hears a song of the procuratrix, she shrieks and tears her clothes. The men really want to know what is going on and let the porter ask. The ladies are offended and some slaves enter the room to kill the guests. Then one of ladies asks the guests to tell the story of how they got to their place and if it pleases them, they are free to go. The first Kalandar starts his tale...
A porter is sitting on a crate at the harbor. A beautiful lady appears and says: “Take up your crate and follow me.” They walk through Baghdad and she buys all kinds of things and puts them in the crate. When they arrive at her home he is invited to enter the house. Two ladies are also in the house: the portress and the procuratrix. He is invited to stay for the night on one condition: “Whoso speaketh of what concerneth him not, shall hear what pleaseth him not!” Three Persian Kalanders arrive at the door. They enter the house and stay under the same condition. Later on Caliph Harun al-Rashid and Ja’afar his Wazir join the group in disguise.
The party celebrates but then one of the ladies orders two bitches to be brought and beats them. After that one of the ladies sings a song, faints and shows scars of the beating of a rod. When the portress hears a song of the procuratrix, she shrieks and tears her clothes. The men really want to know what is going on and let the porter ask. The ladies are offended and some slaves enter the room to kill the guests. Then one of ladies asks the guests to tell the story of how they got to their place and if it pleases them, they are free to go. The first Kalandar starts his tale...
"The Story of the Merchant and the Demon" and "The Story of the Porter and the Three Ladies" hint at the vast network of morals, lessons, hints, and layers that Shahrazad has created for Shahrayar. These lessons range from the treatment of women to how one should act in society, and these lessons continuously contrast the lessons that Shahrazad's father attempted to convey through the two stories he tells. As is learned at the close of the final night, Shahrayar does take these stories to heart; he becomes a changed man. The structure, morality, variety, action, and entertainment of these stories is Shahrazad's legacy more so than her role as a powerful man's wife. The stories that are presented here are only a small taste of the literary life found in The Arabian Nights.
Works Referenced
The Arabian Nights. Ed. Muhsin Mahdi. Trans. Husain Haddawy. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008. Print.
The Arabian Nights. Ed. Muhsin Mahdi. Trans. Husain Haddawy. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008. Print.