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A Story Within a Story
Looking through my library I discovered an old battered copy of Arabian Nights by Andrew Lang. This amazing collection of Fairy Tales was first published one hundred and eleven years ago in 1898. The number of children who have taken it off the shelves of public libraries, or been given it tied with red ribbons under the Christmas tree is beyond counting. The fact that I still have a copy is confirmation of that fact.
It was a Frenchman, Antoine Galland, who first brought these colorful tales to the Western world, early in the Eighteenth Century. Galland had a sense of drama and a sense of humor. It is said that eager students woke him from a sound sleep in the middle of the night by throwing stones at his window and crying, “Tell one more! Just one more!”
In the Nineteenth Century John Payne translated them into English and Sir Richard Burton—scholar, and traveler of the East—made an eleven volume translation. This was in 1885. But it was really Andrew Lang who gave the stories to boys and girls.
The main story borders around our leading lady, Scheherazade—a learned, prudent and clever young girl who meets a truly desperate situation by using her intelligence, courage, poise and ready wit. For the Sultan Schahriar discovers that his wife, who he loved more than all the world, was unfaithful to him and has her put to death.
Because of her wickedness, and because he was so completely fooled by her false love, the Sultan believed that all women were the same, if you could only find them out. So, from thereafter, he would take a new wife at night only to have her strangled come morning.
But still, Scheherazade decides to marry the Sultan knowing that her first of a thousand and one nights would probably be her last on earth.
What I have learned from this fascinating collection of tales is that it takes two things to become a strong storyteller: knowledge of literature and a complete command of one’s own resources as its interpreter.
What really amazes me most is that in the telling of the stories, Scheherazade wisely uses a method that is familiar to our own modern world of cliff-hangers—suspense in continuity.
As most of you well know, I write a lot of short stories that leave the reader hanging—or let the reader decide for themselves what is going to happen next.
Reading through the book gives me an idea that I will pass on to you. By using a main theme as the background, one could tie together an unlimited amount of short stories into a much larger work—even a novel.
Until next time,
billwilcox
PS. This will be my last Action/Adventure Newsletter for I am unable to find the appropriate time to continue to produce the quality fare that you all deserve. But I am writing…I am writing constantly, seriously, and hopefully you will all see my work soon.(There, I did it! I used three adverbs back-to-back. I'm sooo bad. )
So, I'll now tip my hat and say what Stephen King always says, ”farewell, my constant reader.”
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STORIES
Excerpt: The pear shaped feline tensed a little at the prospect of work. She usually enjoyed work, but sometimes writers that were placed in her care could be difficult. Some didn’t listen carefully, or took her for granted; some listen but were never bold enough to do anything with it, or worse, not enough endurance for the long course of writing. One or two over the ages listened with care and worked hard.
Excerpt: He looked round and saw a young boy approaching. John looked at him, waiting. The boy was holding something out towards him and small turquoise letters spilled out of his mouth and curled into John’s ears.
"Look, you left your wallet in the shop."
John understood. He smiled, and grabbed the boy by the throat; it felt exciting to be in control. Tiny turquoise letters dribbled down the boy’s chin.
Excerpt: Today he lay on the tatami, his head on her lap. Hikaru spoke softly, knowing he was sleeping. “Sakura, I had a dream this morning. It was about the day my father sold me to pay the family debts. Yes, I’m just a poor farmer’s daughter. Before he sold me he bought some candy for me. I remember how his hand shook when he paid for it. He said nice people were going to take care of me. He was looking at the ground when he said it, so I knew it wasn’t true. When I woke up, I was still dreaming.”
Excerpt: Maybe it was a dream. He slowly reached over and pulled a hair from his arm, wincing at the sharp pain. Can you feel pain in a dream? he wondered, looking around at the city as it passed by outside the window. The bus stopped and an old man pulled himself onto the coach slowly, pausing to take a long drag from whatever he had in the bag he carried in his hand. Russell saw, for the first time, that the bus had several other riders as well. Funny he hadn’t noticed that earlier.
Excerpt: The story flowed out of me like a bad dream. I tried to stop, but my fingers continued to fly across the keyboard.
I stared with wide-eyed wonder as page after page filled seamlessly with words that were not my own, and when I looked at the photograph, I could have sworn Carolina Stump was crying; her head sagged, chin on her chest, and then she looked up at me with such anguish, tears glistening on her dead face.
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People Always Talk...
Quick-Quill 
Submitted Comment:
You are amazing, and thank you for those quotes! They are spot on! He did see the future of our country and in everything he was truthful!
The attack by those who want to die—this is the attack against which you cannot prepare a perfect defense-
This is our terroists to a T. I can't say any more because he said it all, and thank you for the courage to share it!!
Shannon 
Submitted Comment:
Excellent NL, Bill. LOVED the Herbert quotes and, like you, believe they definitely DO reflect what's going on in society today. Oh, and thank you for featuring "Redeemed." What an unexpected surprise!
StephBee 
Submitted Comment:
Bill,
Herbert will be missed. Thanks for sharing. He was wise beyond his years.
-Steph
Arwen9 
Submitted Comment:
I was thrilled to see a topic based on one of my favorite authors. I've never heard of the particular book you mentioned, so now it's on my to-read list.
Thanks for making my list longer. :)
Zoe Graves
Submitted Comment:
Wow. Those quotes just became my new favorites. My former favorite was "Those who trade freedom for security deserve and shall receive neither." - Ben Franklin.
Thank you for sharing those.
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Action/Adventure: August 26, 2009 Issue [#3237]
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