Classics Retold

The following night Shahrazad said: It was said that the captain of the robbers escaped after his great loss at the house of Ali Baba. Marjaneh [1] the slave girl whose diligence saved Ali Baba of his life and property, went to bed satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master. Ali Baba rose before dawn, unaware of the incidents which had taken place, went to bath followed by Abd-Allah.  When he returned he was surprised to see the oil jars, and the mules, and asked Marjaneh why the merchant did not leave. "O my master," answered she, "God preserved you and your family.  You will be better informed of what you wish to know when you have seen what I have to show you, if you will follow me."  Then she bade him look into the first jar, and see if there was any oil.  Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started back in alarm, cried out. "Be not afraid," said Marjaneh, "the man you see can neither do you or anyone else any harm.  He is...

Uttar Pradesh is called Hindi heartland, but in fact, it is a land of language diversity.  Uttar Pradesh is at the cross roads of several Indo-Aryan dialect zones - Western Hindi, Eastern Hindi, Central Hindi and Bihari.  Rather than a single homogeneous Hindi, U P hosts a continuum of dialects, many of which are mutually intelligible, but distinct in vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar.   In western U.P. (Delhi, Meerut, Saharanpur, and Agra) Khariboli, Braj and Haryanvi were prominent. Khariboli has a rich poetic tradition.  In Central UP ( Kanpur, Jhansi, Etawah, Fatehpur, and Hamirpur) Kannauj and Bundeli dialects were used in folk songs and communication.  Eastern UP (Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Mirzapur and Ballia) Awadhi and Bagheli, language of Ramacharitmanas was the dialect. North Central UP (Bareilly, Rampur, and Shajahanpur ) witnesses Rohilkhandi, a form of Western Hindi with Urdu influence from Rohilla and Mughal presence.  The term ...

Samuel Henry Kellog (1839 to 1899) was an American Presbyterian missionary and a Hindi scholar. Presbyterian refers to Protestant Christian tradition characterised by elected elders'  in church administration. The name Presbyterian comes from the Greek word Presbyteros meaning elders. His contribution to Hindi language is profound and lasting. He played a major role in bringing a system in Hindi grammar.  Born on September 6, 1939 and graduated from Princeton College in 1861, he studied theology at Princeton Theological seminary. Before receiving doctorate in Divinity he started his missionery work in northern India. He was stationed in Farrukhabad, situated on the banks of Ganges. Later he taught at Allahabad Theological Training Institute. He came here in 1864, Seven years after the Sepoy Mutiny. In fact Farrukhabad played an important role in 1857 Mutiny.  The British government was instrumental in bringing missionaries with a view to strengthen the cause of social and...

The following night Shahrazad said:  Ali Baba had already went to bed. The captain of the robbers had been planning to destroy Ali Baba, and entered the final phase of his plan. Thirty seven robbers in the thirty seven jars with weapons and the thirty eighth jar was filled with oil. The captain went to the yard, and took off the lid of each jar and gave his men orders what to do. Beginning from the first jar he said to each man, "As soon as I throw some stones out of the chamber window where I sleep, do not fail to come out, and I will immediately join you."  After this he went into the house, when Marjaneh taking up a light conducted him to his chamber. Marjaneh remembered Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing linen ready, and ordered Abd-Allah to set on the pot for broth.  While it was preparing the lamp went out, and there was no more oil in the house.  So she took the oil pot, and went into the yard, and when she came near the first jar, the robber within said softl...

The following night Shahrazad said: A little after Baba Mustafa and the robber had parted, Marjaneh went out of Ali Baba's house upon an errand, and upon her return, seeing the mark the robber had made, stopped to observe it.  "What can be the meaning of this marks?" she said to herself; somebody intends my master no good; however, with whatever intention it was done, it is advisable to guard against the worst."  Accordingly, she fetched a piece of chalk and marked two or three doors on each side, in the same manner without saying a word to her master or mistress. In the meantime the robber joined his troop in the forest; and recounted to them his success, expatiating upon his good fortune in meeting so soon with the only person who could inform him of what he wanted to know.  All the robbers listened to him attentively, and the captain after commenting his diligence, said to all, "Comrades, "We have no time to lose; let us set off well armed, but in disgui...

The following night Shahrazad said: The Captain of the robbers said to his followers, "Well, one of you, the boldest and the highly skilled must go into the town, disguised as a traveller and a stranger, and try to get any piece of information about the man we killed, try to find out who he was, and where he lived.  This is a matter of urgency; whoever undertakes this task without success shall suffer death." Without consulting his companions, one of the robbers started up and said, "I submit to this condition, and deem it an honour to expose my life to the cause of my troop." He then disguised himself and went to the town. It was daybreak when he reached the town, and he walked up and down, till accidentally he came to Baba Mustafa's stall which used to be open at the early hours. Baba Mustafa was seated with an awl in his hand, just going to work.  The robber greeted him, and seeing that he is an old man, said, "Uncle, you begin to work very early.  Is it...

The following night Shahrazad said: Kasim's wife was uneasy.  Her husband did not return.  Alarmed, she ran to Ali Baba. "Brother-in-law," she said, "You know, Kasim has gone to the forest, and upon what account; it is now night, and he has not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has happened to him." After midnight Ali Baba departed to the forest with his three asses.  When he came near the rock, having seen neither his brother nor his mules in his way, was alarmed at finding some blood split near the door, which he took for an ill-omen; but when he pronounced the words, and she door had opened, he was struck with horror at the dismal sight of his brother's body.  He went into the cave, however, to find something to enshroud the remains; and having loaded one of his asses with them, covered them over with wood.  The other two asses he loaded with gold, covering them also with wood; then bidding the door shut came away.  When he came home, he drove two as...

The following night Shahrazad said: When Ali Baba got his home, he drove his asses into a little yard, shut the gates carefully, threw off the wood, carried the bags into his house, and ranged them in order before his wife.  He then emptied the bags which raised such a heap of gold as dazzled his wife's eyes.  He told her the whole adventure from beginning to end, and recommended to keep it a secret.  The wife rejoiced greatly at their good fortune and began to count all the pieces one by one.  "Wife," said Ali Baba, you do not know what you are doing, you pretend to count the money, a job you have never done in your life.  I will dig a hole and bury it.  There is no time to be lost." "You are right, husband," replied she, but let us know as soon as possible how much we have.  I will borrow a small measure and measure it while you dig the hole." The wife ran to their brother-in-law Kasim, who lived hard by and addressing his wife asked to lend a measur...

The title "One Thousand and One" the the alternative to Arabian Nights is a metaphor.  Alfa Layla wa Layla is not to be taken literally. 1001 is symbolic representation of a vast number.  A hyperbole to emphasize large volume of stories.  The addition of one gives it a poetic touch, implying something even more than complete. A story that never ends.  So it is metaphor for infinity, continuity, or the eternal act of storytelling. Shahrazad use it to keep away death by never concluding.  It has an Indian parallel in Panchatantra and Kadhasaritsagara.  The latter claims itself to be a part of a greater collection of seven hundred thousand stories, the idea of an inexhaustible treasury of tales. The Sanskrit number Sahasra is a poetic exaggeration - a way to say innumerable or countless.  So, the Indian model also presents the structural idea of stories that never end.  A pastime to keep the listeners engaged forever.  When these stories reached...

The following night Shahrazad said: The town of Persia. There lived two brothers. One was Kasim. The other was Ali Baba. Their father divided a small inheritance equally between them.  Kasim married a rich girl. He became a wealthy merchant. Ali Baba married a poor girl, as poor as himself. He became a wood cutter. He would go to thick forest, find out old and decayed tree, cut it and  bring the logs on the back of asses to the market for sale.  One day, in the forest, Ali Baba had been cutting the wood and loading the logs on the back of his asses.  He saw at a distance, a great cloud of dust approaching him.  He observed it with attention, and discerned a body of horsemen. He thought them as robbers.  In order to save himself, he left the asses and his axe, climbed upon a tree and sat on a branch, concealed by twigs and leaves so that he could well observe the movement of the horsemen, and at the same time hide his presence.  There were forty horseme...

The following night Shahrazad said: Sindbad the sailor continued his story: After my last voyage I had decided that I should no more embark upon a voyage.  In my advanced years I appreciate a quiet life, and I no more want to take risk of untoward incidents.  However, one day I had an unexpected visitor. When I spent my time among my friends, I was told that an officer of Caliph wished to talk to me.  When he was admitted to my presence he bade me to follow him to the presence of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid, which I accordingly did, and saluted the Caliph.  The Caliph said, "I have sent for you to assign you a special task.  You are to bear a letter and a gift to the king of Serendib in return for his message of friendship." It fell on me like a thunderbolt.  I was not in a mood to undertake a long and hazardous travel leaving the evening company of my friends. "Commander of the Faithful," I replied, "I am ready to do all that your Majesty commands, but I humbly...

After having met with shipwreck three times, fortune again coveted me to embark upon a new journey, regardless of the entreaties of my friends and relations, who did all they could to keep me home.  Instead of going by the Persian Gulf, this time, I travelled a considerable way over land and embarked upon from a distant Indian port with a captain who meant to make a long voyage. We fell in with a stormy weather which drove us completely out of our course, so that for many days neither captain nor pilot new where we were, or where to the ship was taking us.  When they did at last discover our position we had small ground for rejoicing; the captain casting his turban upon the deck and tearing his beard, declared that we were in the most dangerous spot upon the whole wide sea, and had been caught by a current which was at that moment sweeping us to destruction.  It was too true!  In spite of all that the sailors could do we were driven with frightful rapidity towards th...

Alley and Ally are close in spelling and pronounciation. Alley is a narrow lane between or behind buildings.  An alley is too narrow to be a street.  It is often used as a pedestrian walkway or a corridor. These are often made by people walking over a period of time.  It may be in a garden or around a garden or park boarded by hedges. And once an alley is allowed for over a certain period it cannot be stopped. The word alley is derived from Old French word alee, which means corridor or passage. An ally is a person or organisation that works in conjunction with another person or organisation. The plural of ally is allies. In the Second World War, the confederation of nations working to defeat Germany Japan and Italy were known as Allied forces.    Causeways are ways along the bank of a river, stream, or between the paddy fields, or accross the paddy fields. They serve as walkway and preserve water in the field.  The first causeway in my village to connect wi...

The following night Shahrazad said: I am giving an account by Sindbad in his own words: For the third time I was in Balsora with my choice merchandise which were rare also.  The easy, pleasant life I led after my second voyage erased my unpleasant memories connected with it. I was in the prime of my life, it pleased me better to be up and doing. We the merchants set sail for distant lands. We had touched many ports and made much profits, when one day, we were caught by a terrible wind which blew us terribly to a harbour of a strange island.  "I would rather have come to anchor anywhere than here," said our captain. "This island and all adjoining it are inhabited by hairy saveges, who are certain to attack us, and whatever these dwarfs may do, we dare not resist, since they swarm like locusts.  And if one of them is killed, the rest will fall upon us, and speedily finish us." These words caused great consternation among all the ship's company, and only too soon w...

The following night Shahrazad said: Sindbad continued to narrate his voyages:- At the end of my first voyage, when I came home, I had resolved to spend my days quietly in Baghdad, but very soon I grew tired of such an idle life and longed to find myself upon the sea, once more. I bought and stocked goods suitable for the places that I intend to visit, and embarked for the second time in a good ship; and there were other honourable merchants as my companions.  We went from island to island making good bargains, and came to land at a place full of fruit trees and abounding in springs of excellent water.  But it appeared that there were no people or houses.  "What to sell if there is no people,"  thought I, and sat down in a shady place, while my companions wandered here and there gathering fruits and flowers.  To while away time I enjoyed heartily the provisions and wine which I had brought with me.  The murmur of the flow of water in the brook nearby had bee...