Help offset server costs by donating. This is totally optional. Any overages will go to library fines or new books.
Arabian Nights week 10
Story
- Dyer sets out to find Delila (more later?)
- Dalila finds head of merchant guild, decides to abduct the young son
- Talks the maid into handing over the boy
- Finds a gemcutter, spins a yarn, gets riches and leaves the boy.
- Boy's absence discovered, all merchants go looking
- Dyer appears, reveals Dalila's previous form
- Donkey driver has teeth removed, Dalila robbed the shop
- All ask governor for help and compensation
- Arrest Dalila, but she escapes, sells the dyer, merchant, etc to the governor's wife
- Eventually found again and captured
- Persuades a passing Bedouin to take her place
- All go to the caliph, who orders Ahmed the Plague to capture Dalila
- Zaynab sets out to trick Ahmed, does so
- Calamity Hasan spots a chance for improvement
- Get caliph to agree to pay Dalila's husband's wages, give her a job
Notes and comments
- Jews living in Baghdad / Cairo, expect justice
- Dalila: clever rogue, but how much violence and pain caused by her actions (e.g. the donkey driver's teeth)
- At what point did your suspension of disbelief give up?
- Neat ending to the tale
- What do you think of Dalila's motivation?
- Corrupt watchmen in Baghdad / Cairo
Comments
I think for me it was the point at which Dalila cons the servant out of the infant... I can't bring myself to believe that someone entrusted with the care of a small child would casually hand it over after a quick bit of patter... nor that the master/mistress would be so blasé about the matter.
But it sort of didn't matter from the perspective of the whole story - we were going to get to that point at some stage so it was hardly unexpected! Anc for me at least it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of it - the absurdity _is_ the point, I think.
As an aside, it so happens I've been reading Dickens's _A Christmas Carol_ lately and he quite casually drops in stuff about _The Arabian Nights_ - the older Scrooge sees his younger self enjoying it in his early school years. So Dickens assumes that his readership would recognise a casual reference in passing, along with biblical tales and a few events in the lives of Anglican saints.
I’ll never see hanging in quite the same light again, I must say.
Looking forward to Sinbad!
One thing that just occurred to me. Dalila may be a thief and general rogue, but she's working within the accepted society. Her goal is not personal enrichment, but the approval of the caliph and equal status with her peers. It's a very safe form of caper story.
Yes I was thinking similar things by way of contrast to (for example) Robin Hood - both tales have the themes of the roguish person whose acts are illegal, but where the law-enforcement teams are universally seen to be corrupt and self-serving, hence the rogue is really a hero not a villain. But Robin Hood did it for loot (not necessarily ending up with him personally), and the popular acclaim is a side-benefit, whereas Dalila does it for reputation enhancement primarily, and the cash is simply a means to an end.
Hi guys, Sorry I have been absent. I'm dealing with a drainage problem in my basement. Will rejoin you soon. BC