Contents of Volume I.
The story of the genius and the lady shut up in a glass box
The fable of the ass, the ox, and the labourer
The fable of the dog and the cock
The story of the merchant and genius
The history of the first old man and the bitch
The story of the second old man and the two black dogs
The story of the fisherman
The story of the Grecian king, and the physician Douban
The story of the husband and parrot
The story of the vizier that was punished
The history of the young king of the black isles
The story of the three calenders, sons of kings; and of the five
ladies of Bagdad
The history of the first calender, a king's son
The history of the second calender, a king's son
The story of the envious man, and of him whom he envied
The history of the third calender, a king's son
The story of Zobeide The story of Amine
The story of Sindbad the sailor
His first voyage
His second voyage
His third voyage
His fourth voyage
His fifth voyage
His sixth voyage
His seventh and last voyage
The story of the three apples
The story of the young lady that was murdered, and of the young
man her husband
The story of Nourreddin Ali and Bedreddin Hassan
The story of the little hunch-back
The story told by the Christian merchant
The story told by the sultan of Casgar's purveyor
The story told by the Jewish physician
The story told by the tailor
The story of the barber
The story of the barber's eldest brother
Of the second
Of the third
Of the fourth
Of the fifth
Of the sixth
The history of Aboulhassan All Ebn Becar and Schemselnihar,
favourite of caliph Haroun Alraschid
The story of the amours of Camaralzaman, prince of the isles of
the children of Khaledan, and of Badoura, princess of China
The history of the princess of China
The story of Marzavan, with the sequel of that of the prince
Camaralzaman
The story of the princess Badoura, after her separation from
prince Camaralzaman
The story of the princes, Amgrad and Assad
The story of prince Amgrad and a lady of the city of the
magicians
The sequel of the story of prince Assad
The story of Nourreddin aad the fair Persian
Epistle Dedicatory,
To
The Right Hon. The Lady Marchioness D'o,
Lady of Honour to the Duchess of Burgundy.
Madam,
The great kindnesses I received from M. de Guilleragus, your illustrious father, during my abode at Constantinople some years ago, are too fresh in my mind for me to neglect any opportunity of publishing what I owe to his memory. Were he still alive, for the welfare of France, and my particular advantage, I would take the liberty to dedicate this work to him, not only as my benefactor, but as a person most capable of judging what is fine, and inspiring others with the like sentiments. Every one remembers the wonderful exactness of his judgment;—the meanest of his thoughts had something in them that was shining, and his lowest expressions were always exact and nice, which made every one admire him; for never had any man so much wit and so much solidity. I have seen him, at a time when he was so much taken up with the affairs of his master, that nobody could expect any thing from him but what related to his ministry, and his profound capacity to manage the most knotty negotiations; yet all the weight of his employment diminished nothing of his inimitable pleasantness, which charmed his friends, and was agreeable even to those barbarous nations with whom that great man did treat. After the loss of him, which to me is irreparable, I could not address myself to any other person than yourself, Madam, since you alone can supply the want of him to me; therefore it is that I take the boldness to beg of you the same protection for this book that you was pleased to grant to the French translation of the seven Arabian stories that I had the honour to present you.
You may perhaps wonder, Madam, that I have not since that time presented them to you in print; but the reason of it is, that when I was about putting them to the press, I was informed that those seven stories were taken out of a prodigious collection of stories of the like sort, entitled "One thousand and one nights." This discovery obliged me to suspend the printing of them, and to use my endeavours to get that collection. I was forced to send for it from Syria; and have translated into French this first volume being one of the four that were sent me. These stories will certainly divert you, Madam, much more than those you have already seen. They are new to you, and more in number; you will also perceive, with pleasure, the ingenious design of this anonymous Arabian, who has given us these stories after the manner of his country, fabulous indeed, but very diverting.
I beg, Madam, your acceptance of this small present which I have the honour to make you; it is a public testimony of my acknowledgment of the profound respect with which I am, and shall for ever be,
Madam,
Your most humble and most obedient servant,