Franklin Library leather edition of "Tales from the Arabian Nights," a Limited edition, Translated by Sir Richard Burton, one of the 100 GREATEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME series, published in 1977. Bound in scarlet red leather, the book has royal blue moire silk end leaves, hubbed spine, satin book marker, acid-free paper, gold gilt on three edges---in near FINE condition. Sir Richard Burton, who lived from 1821-1890, mastered 29 languages and more than 40 dialects. Burton grew up in England and France and graduated from OXFORD. "The Thousand and One Nights," also called The Arabian Nights, is a collection of largely Middle Eastern and Indian stories of uncertain date and authorship. Its tales of Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sindbad the Sailor have almost become part of Western folklore, though these were added to the collection only in the 18th century in European adaptations. "The Arabian Nights" opens the hidden door to an Eastern garden of delight. From setting dripping in jewels, perfumed with magic and laden with romance come tales of princesses who cast spells, Arab jinnii, enchanted horses and nightmarish beasts.  As in much medieval European literature, the stories—fairy tales, romances, legends, fables, parables, anecdotes and exotic or realistic adventures—are set within a frame story. Its scene is Central Asia where King Shahryar, after discovering that during his absences his wife has been regularly unfaithful, kills her and those with whom she has betrayed him. Then, loathing all womankind, he marries and kills a new wife each day until no more candidates can be found. His vizier, however, has two daughters, Shahrazad (Scheherazade) and Dunyazad; and the elder, Shahrazad, having devised a scheme to save herself and others, insists that her father give her in marriage to the king. Each evening she tells a story, leaving it incomplete and promising to finish it the following night. The stories are so entertaining, and the king so eager to hear the end, that he puts off her execution from day to day and finally abandons his cruel plan. 770 pages---a RARE title.  I offer combined shipping.