Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “The Midwife” #EP8

Ramadan Karim 😀

We continue our tale for this year, the tale of Mando.

Now a little confession, the illustrations you see here in the post starting from the second episode are AI-generated art. They were all made by Midjourney using the descriptions of characters and styles of different famous illustrators whom I love their 1001 depictions above Maxfield Parrish and Edmund Dulac.

I am more than amazed. It is not easy to get good results though when you ask for illustrations but thanks to dear Sherif Kozman who introduced me to a way to use Chat GPT to get better prompts. It is quite amazing to see the results but it takes a hell of a time to the level that I must say that real human illustrators should not be worried. 

Now to our episode tonight which is a little sad and shocking.

First, refresh your mind with last night’s episode.

Now to the eighth episode of our tale or the 470th episode in Egyptian state radio’s One Thousand and One Nights show.

The synopsis

Oh, most perfidious of Viziers! His wickedness knows no bounds, for he covets not only power but the throne itself! And yet again does he plot and scheme, with no heed for the lives he seeks to destroy in his mad quest for glory.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “Prisoners of their fate” #EP7

Ramadan Karim😀

We continue our tale for this year, the tale of Mando.

But first I have to share something with you again.

I chose this year’s tale after listening to two other tales from the 1960s.

I think our tale could be recorded in the early 1960s.

At first, to be honest, I avoided the tales which were televised in the 1980s and 1990s because my generation still remembers them. 

I chose the tale of Mando because the other two tales were too politicalized. Unfortunately, Taher Abu Fasha could not escape the propaganda machine and yes we listened previously to Pro-Nasserite tales with metaphors of The Sauds and The Hashemites.

But those two tales were terrible. They were technically Pro-Soviet/Eastern Bloc against Pro-US/Western Bloc. I can say Abu Fasha was in his best imagination mood when he was not instructed to use his show as an instrument of propaganda.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “A circle of fate” #EP6

Ramadan Karim 😀

We continue our tale for this year, the tale of Mando.

Before we go to the sixth episode of our tale, I want to reveal something this year.

The English synopsis of this year’s episode that I add after the audio episode in Arabic is actually copyedited by Chat-GPT according to the style of Sir Richard Francis Burton’s translation of the One Thousand and one nights book. "I know that Burton was a piece of work, an embodiment of colonialism"

The result is more than impressive 

I am thinking of trying other styles in upcoming episodes.

Anyhow, let’s go to our episode tonight but first, refresh your mind with last night’s episode.

Now to the sixth episode of our tale or the 468th episode in Egyptian state radio’s One Thousand and One Nights show.

The Synopsis

Concealing his ire behind a veil of deference, the Vizier Shahlan hastens to pay court to the King upon learning that the Queen is with child, and thus his scheme of betrothing his daughter to the royal majesty has been dashed. Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope remains.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “The Darvish” #EP5

Ramadan Karim 😀

In tonight's episode, we are presented for the first time to a character of Eunuch in the famous radio show.

Needless to say, when I read the “Eunuch of the court” now, the character of Varys in Game of Thrones jumps into my mind. 

Interestingly, I thought the practice of “Eunuch” slaves originated in the Middle East. It turned out that historically there are historical records from Ancient Egypt that show the practice was older than we think and it was used to humiliate enemies.

In fact, the word “Eunuch” may have an ancient Egyptian origin. The practice was also known in other parts of ancient worlds including China. After all, what worse humiliation of a man could suffer than that. Eunuch slaves are mostly depicted in a negative way just like in the case of Varys.

In tonight's episode, we are presented with another interesting character who is the Dervish.

I will only say Taher Abu Fasha sends very interesting messages in the show.

Anyhow enough of the talk and let’s go to our episode tonight.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “The Prisoner” #EP4

Ramadan Karim.

And we continue our tale for this, the tale of Mando from the Audio One Thousand and One nights show.

It is not related to other Mando

But first just as I share with a great Egyptian state radio show, I must mention that Egyptian and Arab radio lost one of its radio icons a couple of days ago.

Egypt’s Legendary radio host Fadila Tawfik or as commonly known for generations as “Abla Fadila” or Miss Fadila.

Abla Fadila was the first woman to have a show dedicated to children’s tales on Egyptian state radio since the mid-1950s.

Fadila Tawfik passed away at the age of 96.

She died in Canada while staying with her daughter who is living there.

Born in 1929 to an Egyptian Nubian father and Turkish mother, Abla Fadila was the sister of renowned late Egyptian actress and leftist activist Mohsena Tawfik.

She was also the aunt of renowned Egyptian leftist activist Wael Khalil. She graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law before joining the Egyptian Radio service.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “The forbidden fruit” #EP3

Ramadan Karim,

We continue our tale for this year, the tale of Mando.

Before we go to the third episode of our tale, I want to remind you to pay attention to the references mentioned in the original work of Taher Abu Fasha.

Abu Fasha was the main writer of the One Thousand and one-night radio show in Egypt in case you forgot or are a newcomer.

“Mando’s tale” is not an original “One Thousand and one nights” story. Taher Abu Fasha once again uses his imagination to write yet another fantasy story from Arabian nights and beyond. “I won’t spoil it”

In tonight’s episode, Abu Fasha mentions the famous forbidden fruit aka apple.

If you remember in the first episode, he also spoke about the two cities “Gamore and Samore” that shared a similar fate to the infamous Sodom and Gomorrah.

There is also a mention of “Ahl El-Khutwa” of the Sufi Muslim saints who got supernatural powers.

It is a term common in Egypt. The Djinn, the usual guest star is mentioned in tonight’s episode too.

In a way, Abu Fasha followed the same path as those who wrote the original One Thousand and One Nights Book centuries ago.

Already in the original book, you will find all that and more.

Anyhow enough talk and we go to the third episode in our audio tale.

Kodak Agfa Presents : A Defiant Cairo's Ramadan Market in time of economic Crisis

The market was totally packed two weeks ago 

When I went to the popular market located behind the famous El-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque and Shrine on the crowded El-Saad Street, I imagined I would see the impact of the economic crisis in action but I was totally wrong.

People, mostly families led by women came to buy Ramadan decorations and lanterns 

If any foreigner walked in that street and saw how crowded it was last week, he or she would think that Egypt does not suffer from one of its worst economic crises but looks can be deceivable.