The Arabian Nights, (also known as One Thousand and One Nights) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age and first translated into English in the early 18th century. Tying the tales together is the story of Scheherazade, the virginal consort of King Shahryar who delays her own execution by telling a story that so entrances the king that he puts off killing her to hear the end of the story. Over the ensuing one thousand and one nights, she relates the stories of Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba and the forty thieves among many others. This edition is adapted by Kate Douglas Wiggin for young readers and features Maxfield Parrish’s beautiful original illustrations.