《一千零一夜》，也叫《天方夜谭》，是阿拉伯文字中的瑰宝。传说阿拉伯古代有一个国王，每天娶一个女子，第二天早上就把她杀了。有一个姑娘要阻止他这种残忍的做法，自愿做他的一夜王后。进入王宫后，她就开始给国王讲故事，讲到紧要关头，行刑时间到了，国王正听得津津有味，就说：过一天再杀吧。可是故事一个接一个讲下去，每次要杀她时故事都到了“欲知后事如何，且听下回分解”的节骨眼上，国王为了听故事，只好一天天延迟杀她的时间。就这样，故事一直讲了一千零一夜，国王终于改掉了他的可怕做法，她从此成为长久的王后。这就是“一千零一夜“的来由。她讲的故事能如此吸引那位国王，当然是非常动听的。确实，像《阿里巴巴和四十大盗》、《神灯》、《辛巴德航海历险记》这些故事早已传遍全世界。

《一千零一夜》是世界文学的瑰宝，它以绚丽多彩、曲折奇妙的故事，任意驰骋的想象和对人类美好理想执着的追求，吸引着一代又一代的亿万读者。它的艺术魅力历久不衰，它对世界文化，特别是欧洲文化产生过巨大的影响。

VOLUME 1

Introductory Chapter

Fable of the Ass, the Ox, and the Labourer

The Merchant and the Genie

The Story of the First Old Man and the Hind

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 the Parrot

The Story of the Vizier that was Punished

The History of the Young King of the Black Isles

Story of the Three Calenders, Sons of Sultans, and of the Five Ladies of Bagdad

The ttistory of the First Calender

The Story of the Second Calender

The Story of the Envious Man, and of Him that He Envied

The History of the Third Calender

The Story of Zobeide

The Story of Amene

VOLUME 2

The Story of Sinbad the Voyager

The Three Apples

The Story of the Lady who was Murdered, and of the Young Man her Husband

The Story ofNoor ad Deen Ali and Buddir ad Deen Houssun

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

The Story of the Barber's Second Brother

The Story of the Barber's Third Brother

The Story of the Barber's Fourth Brother

The Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother

The Story of the Barber's Sixth Brother

The History ofAboulhassen Ali Ebn Becar, and Schemselnihar, Favourite

of Caliph Maroon al Rusheed

VOLUME 3

The Story of the Loves of Kummir al Zummaun, Prince of the Isles of the

Children of Khaledan, and of Badoura, Princess of China

The Story of the Princes Amgiad and Assad

The Story of the Prince Amgiad and a Lady of the City of the Magicians

The Story ofNoor ad Deen and the Fair Persian

The Story of Beder, Prince of Persia, and Jehaun-Ara, Princess of Samandal,or Summunder

VOLUME 4

Story of Prince Beder and the Princess Jehaun-Ara (continued)

The History of Ganem, Son ofAbou Ayoub, and Known by the Sunan

Love's Slave

The History of Prince Zeyn Alasnam and the Sultan of the Genii

The History of Codadad, and His Brothers

The History of the Princess of Deryabar

The Story ofAbou Hassan, or the Sleeper Awakened

The Story ofAlla Ad Deen, or the Wonderful Lamp

VOLUME 5

The Story ofAlla Ad Deen; or the Wonderful Lamp (continued)

Adventure of the Caliph Haroon al Rusheed

The Story of the Blind Man Baba Abdoollah

The Story of Syed Naomaun

The Story of Khaujeh Hassan al Hubbaul

The Story ofAli Baba and the Forty Robbers Destroyed by a Slave

The Story ofAli Khaujeh, a Merchant of Bagdad

The Story of the Enchanted Horse

The Story of Prince Ahmed, and the Fairy Perle Banou

The Story of the Sisters Who Envied Their Younger Sister

VOLUME 6

 Story of the Sultan of Yemen and His Three Sons

 Story of the Three Sharpers and the Sultan

 The Adventures of the Abdicated Sultan

 History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo

 Story of the First Lunatic

 Story of the Second Lunatic

 Story of the Retired Sage and His Pupil, Related to the Sultan by the Second

Lunatic

Night Adventure of the Sultan

Story of the Broken-backed Schoolmaster

Story of the Wry-mouthed Schoolmaster.

The Sultan's Second Visit to the Sisters

Story of the Sisters and the Sultana their Mother

Story of the Bang-Eater and the Cauzee

Story of the Bang-eater and His Wife

Continuation of the Fisherman, or Bang-eater's Adventures

The Sultan and the Traveller Mhamood al Hyjemmee

The Koord Robber

Story of the Husbandman

Story of the Three Princes and Enchanting Bird

Story of a Sultan of Yemen and His Three Sons

Story of the First Sharper in the Cave

History of the Sultan of Hind

Story of the Fisherman's Son

Story ofAbou Neeut and Abou Neeuteen; or, the Well-Intentioned and the

Double-Minded

Adventure of a Courtier, Related by Himself to His Patron, anAmeer of Egypt...

Story of the Prince of Sind, and Fatima, Daughter of Amir Bin Naomaun...

Story of the Lovers of Syria; or, the Heroine

Story of Hyjauje, the Tyrannical Governor of Coufeh, and the Young Syed.

Story of Ins al Wujjood and Wird al Ikmaum Daughter of Ibrahim, Vizier to

Sultan Shamikh

The Adventures of Mazin of Khorassaun

Adventure of Haroon al Rusheed

Story of the Sultan, the Dervish, and the Barber's Son

Adventures of Aleefa, Daughter of Mherejaun, Sultan of Hind, and Eusuff,

Son of Sohul, Sultan of Sind

Adventures of the Three Princes, Sons of the Sultan of China

Story of the Good Vizier Unjustly Imprisoned

Story of the Lady of Cairo and Her Four Gallants

The Cauzee's Story

Story of the Merchant, His Daughter, and the Prince of Eerauk

Adventures of the Cauzee, His Wife, &c

The Sultan's Story of Himself.

Conchlsion