MovieChat Forums > Arabian Nights (2000) Discussion > For someone who has read the actual book...

For someone who has read the actual book...

posted 14 years ago by Bobby009
3 replies | jump to latest

I have a question about one of the stories from the compilation. I've only read a manuscript based on the story, but the original is somewhere within Arabian Nights. I'd be eternally grateful to anyone who would recognize it and give me the name of the original story!

The manuscript based on the original tale is called "A tale of jealousy", and the basic plotline is as follows:

A sultana and a queen are in love, but the sultana suddenly starts suspecting the queen of having romantic feelings for her female servant. This is not true, as it's merely a rumor started by the sultana's own jealous maid, but it wreaks havoc in their relationship.
The story ends with the queen's female servant (who is indeed in love with the queen) taking her own life in order to stop causing trouble between the lovers. Heartbreaking, non?

Does it sound familiar?

I'll be performing in a play based on this, and I really want to look up the original story! Hopefully one of you guys can help. (trust me, I've done huge amounts of Googling with no results.)

-Cheerleaders are dancers who have gone retarded-

[–] jatrius 14 years ago

Are you sure you've remembered this lesbian love triangle correctly? Or is it a sultan rather than a sultana?
It sounds very much like the Audrey Hepburn / Shirley Maclaine (sp?) movie of the early '60s transposed to Arabia. That apart I'm sorry it doesn't ring bells and I have the unbowdlerised Richard Burton translation here in front of me.

[–] Bobby009 14 years ago

Oh, sorry - apparently, I can't spell. The "sultana" is indeed very much a sultan, i.e a male.

I'll check out the film you mentioned, just out of curiousity. I'm finding it really strange that the story wouldn't be in the actual book, since the script of the play clearly says it is based on a a story from Arabian nights... Anyway, thanks a lot for bothering to answer me!

-Cheerleaders are dancers who have gone retarded-

[–] xfastfurious15 12 years ago

audrey hepburn/shirley maclaine movie you are thinking of is "The Children's hour". very good movie.