101 Middle Eastern Tales and Their Impact on Western Oral Tradition

This book examines over one hundred tales that have influenced Western oral traditions, highlighting their Middle Eastern origins and lasting impact.

Against the backdrop of historical and comparative folk narrative research, 101 Middle Eastern Tales and Their Impact on Western Oral Tradition explores the intricate history, dissemination, and characteristics of over one hundred narratives that have been transmitted to Western tradition from or by Middle Eastern Muslim literatures. These literatures, which include authored works in Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Turkish, have played a significant role in shaping Western storytelling traditions.

To qualify for inclusion, Ulrich Marzolph established two criteria: the tale must either originate from a Middle Eastern source or be transmitted by it, and it should have been recorded from a Western narrator's oral performance during the nineteenth or twentieth century. This selective approach underscores Marzolph's focus on the enduring influence of certain Oriental narratives on Western popular tradition, emphasizing those tales that have persisted through time and become integral to modern Western oral narratives.

Since ancient times, the concept of the Orient has served as a defining Other for European cultures, both intriguing and inspiring them. Through oral retellings, many tales from Muslim traditions have woven themselves into European oral and written traditions, appearing in a variety of forms such as medieval sermons and contemporary magazines. In an era where national identities often emphasize divisions, 101 Middle Eastern Tales and Their Impact on Western Oral Tradition invites readers to recognize the shared narrative heritage between the West and the Muslim world, making it a crucial resource for scholars and enthusiasts of folklore and fairy tales.