In The Great Khan's Tent Episode 33: The Arabian Nights Part 31

In this episode, we continue the story “The Story of Sultan Umar ibn al-Nu’man and his sons Sharkhan and Dau’ al-Makan and the Strange and Remarkable things that happened to them” with Nights 47 and 48.

After leaving the army in the valley and going to a reconnaissance mission by himself, he winds up in a meadow that has a monastery where he spies 11 beautiful maidens and an old woman.

This part of the story is a moral tale with the great and heroic Sharkhan being bested by the so far as of yet unnamed main woman character who seems a princess of the Greeks that is stationed in that monastery for some reason. It speaks of the disadvantages of being prideful and that no matter how great you are, there is always someone who is greater or can bring you down to earth.

For a first in this series, wrestling appears in these stories, with the sport being popular in both in the past and in the present especially in the modern-day nation states of Iraq and Iran. Although mentions are made of three wrestlers who were popular in the author’s time period, I have not found any biographical description of them.

As he continually loses, to absolute credit to Sharkhan however, it does seem like he rolls with the punches, being quick to adapt to his new found situation.

With this episode, we are almost reaching the first milestone for our main series, as we have almost reached the 50th night. There is only 950 or so nights to go!

What does the future hold for our hero? Stay tuned for the next episode to find out!