Djinns. Flying carpets. Obsidian magic. Gypsies with devil children. Valiant heroes. Arabian and Persian (I am including Persian tales, though it is quite different in some aspects) folktales encompass the very idea of dark fantasy. In the forlorn deserts of the middle east lives a mass of tales uttered in passing whispers. Children are grown up yearning for the adventures of Sinbad, Aladdin, among many other notorious heroes. Reading this, you may have noticed that both of these examples are prevalent in the ever so infamous tale of one thousand and one nights - the one tale that grew to become the very face of Arabian Folklore. It is by no mistake; Scheherazade's tale was one spun not by a single person, but contributed to by a variety of different cultures, ranging from Egypt to Syria, all the way to Asia. It is by these small contributions that the beautiful tapestry of Arabian Nights was formed.
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Ancient tales of dark magic, bloodthirsty kings, spellbinding gypsies, and menacing demons are passed on from one generation to the next, each parent adding their own twist into it. Even with its constantly changing plotlines, every Arabian folktale is a classic in its own right.
The realm of Arabian folklore is one filled with treasure, and dreamlike ideas. It combines elements of every genre present, lacing its tales with pieces of Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Horror, Crime, and yes, even Science Fiction. One great example of this is The City of Brass, a story that speaks of a band of travelers embarking on an archaeological expedition across the Sahara in search of an ancient lost city (something akin to the story of Atlantis). Along the way, the travelers encounter a myriad of different beings, including a mummified queen and humanoid robots. The Arabian Nights (One Thousand and One Nights) is filled with these jaw-dropping tales.
The story of how Arabian/Persian fantasy came to be is one full of wonder and is most likely one you are not familiar with.
It all began in the reign of Caliph Harun Al-Rashid during the Islamic golden age, in the 9th century. This time period in the region became a treasure for scientific research, cultural and religious prosperity, and flourishing arts.
