Islamic Folktales?

[Carcano]

Aside from 'A Thousand and One Nights' the traditional literature of Islamic nations looks pretty minimal. The only thing I can think of is that religious taboos have placed severe restrictions on what writers can write about, and have thus limited the field.

Of course the same has happened in the west to some extent, but somehow I dont think a Muslim Shakespeare could ever have flourished.

Take for example this story by Oscar Wilde, which some of you have seen on TV around Christmas back in the 70s and 80s...The Happy Prince!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=YI92hDyI2HY
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=twRgeQhVAFI&feature=related
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=5vy5OAU4Cg0&feature=related

This is a story with an obvious spiritual quality, derived less obviously from Christianity, however it is not specifically and exclusively religious.

I imagine this type of hybrid literature would be impossible in Islamic societies, where there is either accepted scripture OR secular writings, but nothing in between???

 

[swarm]

Aside from 'A Thousand and One Nights' the traditional literature of Islamic nations looks pretty minimal.

I don't think you are looking very closely.

 

[S.A.M.]

I don't think you are looking very closely.

I think he's only looking in English?

 

[orcot]

anyone has any links of online islamic folktales?
Like the one story of the rich man who could not get rid of his old shoes?

 

[S.A.M.]

You'd have to give me more clues

http://www.google.com/search?q=isla...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I found an anthology of Palestinian folk narratives online

http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=ft4s2005r4&brand=ucpress

 

[swarm]

Of couse there's always Persia and the Ottoman Empire.