Egyptian Chronicles: Ramadan Arabian Nights 2023: Tale of Mando “The Son of the garbage collector” #EP18

Ramadan Karim😀

Attention all readers! If you're interested in reading "The One Thousand and One Nights" in English, there's a new version of the book that was released in 2021. The book is titled "The Annotated Arabian Nights: Tales from 1001 Nights”.

It was translated by British-Syrian translator and author Yasmine Seale.

Seale is the first woman to translate the entire book, making history in the process.

However, it's important to note that Seale has removed some earlier sexist and racist references. Yes, it could be considered to be a “Woke version” and there is currently a debate around censorship and removal of sexist and racist references in classical books for new readers in general.

Despite this, Seale’s version is still highly acclaimed.

It's worth mentioning that Sir Richard Burton's translation was criticized for containing racist and sexist content. On the other hand, the Arabic version of the book contains a wide range of controversial topics such as sexism, homophobia, eroticism, and incest that give readers a glimpse of society in the Islamic world during the Abbasid era and beyond.

If you're looking to expand your Classical Arabic knowledge, I recommend reading the book in its original Arabic version. However, if you're interested in a fresh take on the classic tales, the new annotated version by Yasmine Seale is definitely worth checking out according to reviews.

And we continue our tale for this year the tale of Mando.

Second, here is the 18^th night of our nights this year which is the 480^th episode of the “One Thousand and One Nights” Radio show.

But first, let’s refresh your memory with last night’s episode.

Here is tonight’s episode.

Synopsis

The fury of King Kahlan blazes as he accuses Mando of deceit and lies. But the youth, resolute and upright, denies these charges vehemently, for he came to the King with the promised apples.

Once more the King berates him, calling him a liar, and once more Mando insists he has spoken the truth.

The garbage collector, Tanbal, and his wife Zumara, cry out in defense of their son and themselves, proclaiming their humanity.

The King repeats that Mando claimed his father was essential to all, and Mando affirms the veracity of this statement, for every soul requires the sanitation worker.

The irate vizier asserts that Mando declared his father cleaned up after other people's messes, but Mando asserts his father cleans messes that would otherwise lead to illness and disease.

Another Palace from the Arabian Nights realm as imagined by Adobe Firefly
using the style of famous illustrator Edumand Dulac

The Princess reminds her father of his promise and chides the vizier to silence. The vizier, however, informs the King that he knows of a previous acquaintance between Mando and the Princess.

The Princess remains steadfast in her defense of Mando, and eventually, the King acquiesces to her wishes. Mando, emboldened by his triumph, demands an apology for his family's mistreatment and secures freedom for his brothers.

Yet the King and his wife's sadness and anger deepen when they realize their child must marry the son of a garbage collector.

But worry not, for Shahlan schemes wickedly. Shahlan suggests two ways to eliminate Mando.

The first is to hire an assassin to dispose of him and hide the body, but the King and his wife refuse.

The second is to send Mando on a fool's errand to find a pearl vine, for which the vizier predicts he will fail, as no such thing exists. Summoning Mando once more, the King declares that he must obtain the second half of the Princess's dowry: the pearl vine.

Mando sets out in search of this elusive plant, and at a well, he encounters an old woman. What fate has in store for Mando, whether he will triumph or fall, shall be revealed tomorrow, inshallah.