Author Description

This text is an excerpt from "The Arabian Nights Entertainments," translated from the French by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H.J. Ford. Lang's source text for the work was the extensive translation by Antoine Galland, completed and published in French in 12 volumes between 1704 and 1717. Faced with the suspicion that he reached his life of luxury with ease, Sinbad sets his listeners straight: "You doubtless imagine that I have acquired all the wealth and luxury that you see me enjoy without difficulty or danger, but this is far indeed from being the case. I have only reached this happy state after having for years suffered every possible kind of toil and danger... I assure you that my adventures have been strange enough to deter even the most avaricious men from seeking wealth by traversing the seas. Since you have, perhaps, heard but confused accounts of my seven voyages, and the dangers and wonders that I have met with by sea and land, I will now give you a full and true account of them, which I think you will be well pleased to hear." With the bonus addition of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, this volume has been designed for classroom use with large, easy-to-read text, and the original images from illustrator H.J. Ford.