Chapter XVIII: Conclusion (1)

Among books specially interesting to the student of The Nights, I may mention Weil’s “Biblische Legenden der Muselmänner, aus arabischen Quellen zusammengetragen, und mit jüdischen Sagen verglichen” (Frankfort-on-Main, 1845). An anonymous English translation appeared in 1846 under the title of “The Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud,” and it also formed one of the sources from which the Rev. S. Baring-Gould compiled his “Legends of Old Testament Characters” (2 vols., 1871). The late Prof. Palmer’s “Life of Haroun Al-Raschid” (London, 1881), is not much more than a brief popular sketch. The references to The Nights in English and other European literatures are innumerable; but I cannot refrain from quoting Mark Twain’s identification of Henry the Eighth with Shahryar (Huckleberry Finn, chap. xxiii).

“My, you ought to have seen old Henry the Eighth when he was in bloom. He was a blossom. He used to marry a new wife every day, and chop off her head next morning. And he would do it just as indifferent as if he was ordering up eggs. “Fetch up Nell Gwynn,” he says. They fetch her up. Next morning, “Chop off her head.” And they chop it off. “Fetch up Jane Shore,” he says; and up she comes. Next morning, “Chop off her head.” And they chop it off. “Ring up Fair Rosamun.” Fair Rosamun answers the bell. Next morning, “Chop off her head.” And he made every one of them tell him a tale every night, and he kept that up till he had hogged a thousand and one tales that way, and then he put them all in a book, and called it Domesday Book—which was a good name, and stated the case. You don’t know kings, Jim, but I know them, and this old rip of ourn is one of the cleanest I’ve struck in history. Well, Henry, he takes a notion he wants to get up some trouble with this country. How does he do it—give notice?—give the country a show? No. All of a sudden he heaves all the tea in Boston Harbour overboard, and whacks out a declaration of independence, and dares them to come on. That was his style—he never give anybody a chance. He had suspicions of his father, the Duke of Wellington. Well, what did he do?—ask him to show up? No—drownded him in a butt of mamsey, like a cat. Spose people left money laying around where he was—what did he do? He collared it. Spose he contracted to do a thing, and you paid him, and didnt set down there and see that he done it—what did he do? He always done the other thing. Spose he opened his mouth—what then? If he didnt shut it up powerful quick, he’d lose a lie, every time. That’s the kind of a bug Henry was.”

COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE TALES IN THE PRINCIPAL

EDITIONS OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS, viz.:—

1. Galland. 2. Caussin de Perceval. 3. Gauttier. 4. Scott’s MS. (Wortley Montague). 5. Ditto (Anderson; marked A). 6. Scott’s Arabian Nights. 7. Scott’s Tales and Anecdotes (marked A). 8. Von Hammer’s MS. 9. Zinserling. 10. Lamb. 11. Trébutien. 12. Bul. text. 13. Lane. 14. Bres. text. 15. Habicht. 16. Weil. 17. Mac. text. 18. Torrens. 19. Payne. 20. Payne’s Tales from the Arabic (marked I. II. III.) 21. Calc. 22. Burton.

As nearly all editions of The Nights are in several volumes, the volumes are indicated throughout, except in the case of some of the texts. Only those tales in No. 5, not included in No. 4, are here indicated in the same column. All tales which there is good reason to believe do not belong to the genuine Nights are marked with an asterisk.

The blank column may be used to enter the contents of some other

edition.

| Galland. |“Bul.” Text. Burton.

| |Caussin de Perceval. | |Lane. |

| | |Gauttier. | | |“Bres.” Text. |

| | | |Scott’s MS. | | | |Habicht. |

| | | | |Scott. | | | | |Weil. |

| | | | | |Von Hammer’s MS. | | | | |“Mac.” Text |

| | | | | | |Zinserling.| | | | | | |Torrens. |

| | | | | | | |Lamb. | | | | | | | |Payne. |

| | | | | | | | |Trébutien | | | | | | |Calc. |

[| 1.| 2.| 3.|4,5|6,7| 8.| 9.|10.|11.|12.|13.|14.|15.|16.|17.|18.|19.|20.| |22.]