The number of tales amounts to 172, but one tale is supposed to occupy many nights in the recital, so that the whole number is divided into “One Thousand and One Nights.”  It rarely happens that any two copies of the Alif Lila va Lilin resemble each other.  This title is bestowed upon any collection of Eastern tales divided into the same number of parts.  The compilation depends upon the taste, the caprice, and the opportunities of the scribe, or the commands of his employer.  Certain popular stories are common to almost all copies of the Arabian Nights, but almost every collection contains some tales which are not found in every other.  Much depends upon the locality of the scribe.  The popular stories of Egypt will be found to differ materially from those of Constantinople.  A nephew of the late Wortley Montague, living in Rosetta, had a copy of the Arabian Nights, and upon comparing the two manuscripts it appeared that out of the 172 tales here enumerated only 37 were found in his manuscript.  In order to mark, therefore, the stories which were common to the two manuscripts, an asterisk has been prefixed to the thirty-seven tales which appeared in both copies.

    1.  The Bull and the Ass (a).
    2.  The Merchant and the Hobgoblin (1; Habicht translates Kobold!).
    3.  The Man and the Antelope (1a).
    4.  The Merchant and Two Dogs (1b).
    5.  The Old Man and the Mule (1c).
   6.  The History of the Hunters (2).
  7&8.  The History of King Unam and the Philosopher Reinan (2a).
   9.  History of King Sinbad and Elbase (2a, ab).
  10.  History of the Porter (3).
  11.  History of Karanduli.
   12.  Story of the Mirror.
   13.  Story of the Three Apples (4).
  14.  Of Shensheddin Mohammed, and his Brother Noureddin (5).
  15.  Of the Taylor, Little Hunchback, the Jew and the Christian (6).
   16.  The History of Noureddin Ali (7).
   17.  Ditto of Gaumayub, &c. (8).
  18.  The History of King Omar and Oman and his Children. (This tale
        is extremely long, and occupies much of the manuscript) (9).
  19.  Of the Lover and the Beloved (9a).
   20.  Story of the Peacock, the Goose, the Ass, the Horse, &c. (10).
   21.  Of the Pious Man (11).
   22.  Of the Pious Shepherd.
   23.  Of the Bird and the Turtle (12).
   24.  Of the Fox, the Hawk, &c. (13).
   25.  Of the Lord of the Beasts.
  26.  Of the Mouse and the Partridge (14).
   27.  Of the Raven and the Cat (15).
   28.  Of the Raven, the Fox, the Mouse, the Flea, &c., &c. (16).
   29.  Story of the Thief (18).
  30.  Of Aul Hassan and the Slave Shemsney Har (20).
  31.  Of Kamrasaman, &c. (21).
   32.  Of Naam and Nameto la (21a).
  33.  Of Aladin Abuskelmat (22).
  34.  Of Hallina Die (23).
   35.  Story of Maan Jaamnazida (24).
   36.  History of the Town Litta