The cycle of tales entitled “Hārūn al-Rashīd and the Fisherman’s Chest” is also known as “The Tale of the
Three Apples” and “The Tale of the Murdered Young Woman.” At the very beginning, the story starts with
Hārūn and Ja‘far having a meeting. In this story (as well as in others that are found in the Nights), what are the
duo up to? Why? (3 pts)
Two stories are narrated within this cycle. Who tells each story? To whom? Why? What are the results of telling
the stories? (8 pts)
One of the two stories is “The Story of Nur al-Din and Shams al-Din,” which is actually longer than the main
story in the cycle. Describe three supernatural elements that are included in this story. (3 pts)
In what way do the poems by Tennyson, Longfellow, and Yeats seem to be influenced by the Nights? This can
be in terms of the characters mentioned, the setting or background, the development of events, or other
elements that you deem noteworthy. Make explicit reference to the readings. (Answer should be at least 100
words long.) (8 pts)
In the short story by Porter entitled “The Caliph and the Cad,” the main character, Corny Brannigan, is said to
have seen “the possibilities of turning the tables on Haroun al Raschid.” What does this sentence mean? How
does Brannigan manage to “turn the tables on Haroun”? (Think about what Hārūn does on a regular basis
during his adventures in the Nights and how similar or different the situation is in the story by Porter.) (3 pts.)
Carson Chalmers is one of the main characters in the other short story by Porter assigned for this week, “A
Madison Square Arabian Night.” On the second page of the story it is written that “It was an unusual thing for
Carson Chalmers to play the Caliph.” How does Carson end up playing the Caliph in the story? What other
elements in the story are reminiscent of and explicitly refer to the Nights? (3 pts)
- In the story from Italo Calvino’s novel If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, what must Harun-al-Rashid do to
avoid being killed? What does he ask for before he performs this act? (2 pts)
feedback from professor: - Yes.
- The first story is told by the young man who killed his wife, yes. He does not tell the story because he
thought that the slave was guilty. It is Harun who comes to this conclusion. The young man has something else
in mind. - Fine.
- On the right track, but a bit short and does not cover all the poems. One obvious common element in the
poems is the presence of Harun. - Yes. How does he invert what Harun does? What does Harun do that is similar but the opposite of
Brannigan?
Sample Solution