Arabische Nächte : Erzählungen aus Tausend und eine Nacht by Edmund Dulac

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Arabische Nächte : Erzählungen aus Tausend und eine Nacht by Edmund Dulac

(3 User reviews) 637

By Evelyn Fischer Posted on Mar 18, 2026

In Category - War Literature

Authors: Published By :

Book Language: German

Hey, I just finished something magical and I need to tell you about it. You know those stories we grew up with—Aladdin, Sinbad, Ali Baba? Well, this is where they all began, but it's so much stranger and richer than any cartoon. It's not just one story; it's a Russian nesting doll of tales. The whole thing starts because a king is so heartbroken and angry that he decides to marry a new woman every night and have her executed the next morning. Seriously. Then, this incredibly clever woman named Scheherazade volunteers to be his next bride. She starts telling him a story each night, but she always stops at the most suspenseful part right before dawn. The king has to keep her alive to hear the ending. It's a nightly cliffhanger that lasts for 1,001 nights. This edition, with Edmund Dulac's illustrations, is stunning. It's like holding a piece of art. If you want to get lost in the original, unvarnished magic of these legends, this is the book.

File: Arabische Nächte : Erzählungen aus Tausend und eine Nacht by Edmund Dulac

Let's be honest, we all think we know The Arabian Nights. We've seen the genies and the flying carpets in movies. But picking up this book is like discovering a secret, much wilder origin story.

The Story

The frame is simple but brilliant. King Shahryar, betrayed, takes a terrible new wife every evening and sends her to her death at sunrise. Scheherazade, the vizier's brave daughter, steps in with a plan. She marries the king and begins a story for him that first night. As dawn approaches, she pauses at a moment of high drama—a hero trapped, a secret about to be revealed. The king, hooked, spares her life for one more day to hear the end. But that story leads to another, and another. For 1,001 nights, Scheherazade weaves a universe of tales within tales: daring thieves, cunning merchants, powerful spirits, and tragic lovers. Her life depends on her imagination and her timing.

Why You Should Read It

This isn't a dry, ancient text. It's surprisingly lively, funny, and sometimes dark. You get the real Aladdin, who isn't just a lucky street rat but a clever trickster. You meet Sinbad on voyages filled with genuine peril. The magic here feels immense and unpredictable. What captivated me most was Scheherazade herself. She's not a passive princess; she's a strategist and an artist, using stories as her only weapon to save herself and, ultimately, to heal a broken king. It's a powerful reminder of how stories can change minds and mend hearts. Reading it, you become the king, eagerly turning the page to see what happens next.

Final Verdict

This specific edition with Edmund Dulac's illustrations is a treasure. His paintings are lush and dreamlike, perfectly matching the tone of the tales. This book is perfect for anyone who loves fantasy and wants to see its roots, for readers who enjoy clever narrative structures, and for anyone who just wants a beautiful object to get lost in. It's a classic that truly deserves the title. Just be ready—once you start Scheherazade's first story, you'll want to stay up all night to finish it.