The Parallels Between Arabian Nights and the Biblical Story of Esther

Myths and legends are a part of virtually every culture in the world. Many of those of Arabia are also closely related to stories or morals that are found within the Bible. At the very least, many of them held some grains of similarity between them.

One thing that Arabia definitely picked up on was the whole concept that women were not to be trusted. After all, man's downfall has always been equated to a mistake made not by man alone but because of his mate, a woman named Eve.

Consequently, the Arabians also held women in very low esteem. Perhaps that is why the females among them sometimes lived up to those expectations, at least in their stories, myths, and legends.

One of the most famous Arabian myths, that of the tale of Arabian Nights is based upon the deception of a queen who cheated on her husband, King Shahriyar. Once the Shahriyar discovered his wife's infidelity he ordered that she be executed, which was of course carried out without question.

Fearing that, if he remarried, he might once again suffer the same fate, the king considered not remarrying at all; simply allowing his harem of concubines to keep him happy. However, his people saw that as weakness and demand that he remarry and give them a queen.

Finally, giving in the king came up with what we believed to be a flawless plan. He decided that he would marry a virgin during the day - - each day - - and consummate the marriage. Then, before the morning light of the next day, he would have her executed. That way, no woman could betray him again.

This plan went on for some time as the king worked his way through virtually every girl of marrying age in his kingdom. Before long, the people of his land wailed in abject grief at the loss of all their female children.

Young Shahrazad, a girl wise beyond her tender age, decided to try and put an end to the slaughter and volunteered to marry the king willingly if he made her one promise. She asked that he agree not to execute her until she had completed the story that she planned to tell him as a wedding present.

Intrigued by her offer, the king agreed to the young girl's wish. They were married and, once the marriage had been consummated, Shahrazad began to weave him a tale of Aladdin, Ali Baba and the forty thieves, Sinbad and dozens of other related characters.

Because the king had never before heard such exciting and vivid stories and because the girl told them so well, he didn't question why they went on for one thousand and one nights. Once the girl was finally finished, the king was so impressed not only with her tales, but also with her devotion to him, that he promised to grant her one more wish.

Shahrazad, of course, asked for her life. But showing her wisdom once again, she asked the wish be granted not for herself but for her king and for the children she had bore him during their more than three years of marriage. Because, by then, Shahriyar loved the girl's courage, strength, and cleverness, he agreed and they lived happily ever after.

A similar story exists in the Bible in the story of Esther. There the king was tricked into executing his wife because she disobeyed his wish to make an appearance in front of a party of drunken dignitaries. But, as his people also insisted that he have a queen, he scoured the land for eligible young virgins.

Dozens of women were gathered up to be prepared for their "one night with the king" after which he would decide if the girl would become queen, be released back to her family, or otherwise dealt with. Among the group rounded up was a Jewish girl that took the name of Esther to hide her religion from those who might use it against her.

When she was finally called before the king, Esther began weaving for him the Biblical stories of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. So enthralled did he become with her beliefs about what a person might do for love, the king found himself falling for the young maiden.

They were married and it looked as though they might enjoy a happy ending until forces from within worked to tear the kingdom apart. In particular, the king's enemies sought the destruction of the Jewish people. Esther, not capable of allowing that to happen, finally bared her soul to the king; confessing who and what she was.

So impressed with her honesty, her courage, and her inner strength, the king made certain that the Jews were not destroyed but, instead, made an integral part of his kingdom and lands. And for a period, the two cultures lived in harmony.

So what is the moral of these stories? There are many possible morals within these tales. However, the one I most appreciate is that it is important to be true to who and what you are. It is only through such actions that others can fall in love with the person that you really are and through that allow you to make a real difference in their lives.