Q 01/05

What is the Arabic title of the collection known in English as the Arabian Nights?

A) Kitab al-Aghani

B) Alf Laylah wa-Laylah

C) Kalila wa-Dimna

D) Maqamat al-Hariri

Answer · why

B) Alf Laylah wa-Laylah

The English name comes from the first English edition of about 1706–1721, called The Arabian Nights' Entertainments.

Q 02/05

Which ruler is told a story every night by his wife in the frame tale?

A) Harun al-Rashid

B) Shahryar

C) Shahzaman

D) Baybars

Answer · why

B) Shahryar

His kingdom stretched from Persia to India, and after his wife's betrayal he had been marrying a virgin each day and executing her the next morning.

Q 03/05

Scheherazade is the daughter of which official at the king's court?

A) The captain of the guard

B) The chief judge

C) The vizier

D) The royal astrologer

Answer · why

C) The vizier

It was her father's duty to supply the brides, and he agreed only reluctantly when she volunteered.

Q 04/05

What is the name of Scheherazade's younger sister, who asks for a story on the wedding night?

A) Morgiana

B) Badroulbadour

C) Zumurrud

D) Dunyazad

Answer · why

D) Dunyazad

Her cue lets Scheherazade begin the first tale and leave it unfinished at dawn.

Q 05/05

The name Scheherazade derives from Middle Persian and is usually taken to mean what?

A) Moon of the night

B) Daughter of the king

C) Born of the city

D) Sweet-voiced one

Answer · why

C) Born of the city

Šahr means city or realm and -zād means born of; Arabic manuscripts spell it Šahrāzād.