A Motif Index of the Thousand and One Nights

In 1704 the French Orientalist Antoin Galland introduced to the Western world a translation of The Thousand and One Nights. Over the course of two subsequent centuries, numerous editions followed. Many of these, like Galland's, included texts of stories not found in the indigenous manuscripts of the Nights but selected by the European editors from other literary and oral collections of ordinary folktales and legends. Thus, the original work acquired a Western designation as The Arabian Nights, a title unknown among the masses in Arab lands. Now, three centuries later, original publication of The Thousand and One Nights is being celebrated with widespread, renewed interest in the work. Hasan El-Shamy's motif-index, based on an authentic folk edition of Alf laylah wa laylah, provides scholars of various fields accurate information about the content of this classic piece of Arabic folk tradition.

"Prof. Hasan M. el-Shamy has once again produced an authoritative work on Middle Eastern folklore... There exists a cultural chasm between the Middle East and the European West, and major literary works such as 'Alf laylah wa laylah are relatively unknown, or at best reduced to children's tales or Hollywood spectaculars. el-Shamy's A Motif Index of the Thousand and One Nights is not only valuable to the folklorist, but is an element in bridging the gap." --Western Folklore

"The wealth of information contained in [this] volume is impressive, and one can only wish that more studies of this kind will be undertaken on other narrative corpora of the Near and Middle East." --Journal of Near Eastern Studies Indiana University Press

"This is a valuable reference for university libraries, large public libraries, and Arabic and Middle East study centers.... Recommended." --Choice

"El-Shamy's motif index will certainly be helpful for students of The Thousand and One Nights in finding their way through the ever-expanding corpus of material." --Journal of American Folklore, 124, 2011 Indiana University Press

Provides accurate information about the content of the authentic Arabic folk classic "Alf laylah wa laylah"

Hasan El-Shamy is Professor of Folklore, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, and African Studies at Indiana University. He is author of several books, including Types of the Folktale in the Arab World (IUP, 2004), Tales Arab Women Tell (IUP, 1999), and Folk Traditions of the Arab World: A Guide to Motif Classifications (IUP, 1995).

Acknowledgments

A Note on Transliteration

Introduction

List of Abbreviations and Signs

A Note on Data Presentation, Abbreviations

A. Mythological and Related Belief Motifs

B. Animals

C. Tabu

D. Magic and Similar Supernatural Occurrences

E. The Dead

F. Marvels

G. Ogres and Satan

H. Tests

J. The Wise and the Foolish

K. Deceptions

L. Reversal of Fortune

M. Ordaining the Future

N. Chance and Fate

P. Society

Q. Rewards and Punishments

R. Captives and Fugitives

S. Unnatural Cruelty

T. Sex

U. The Nature of Life

V. Religion and Religious Services

W. Traits of Character

X. Humor

Z. Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs

Other References to Motifs

Titles of Tales according to Burton's Translation (Nos. 1-169)

Alphabetical Index of Motifs

Register of Tale-types

References to Tale-types

Appendix: Titles of Tales 170-262 in Burton's Translation

General Index