A remarkable array of characters swirl around Abdullah in the course of his remarkable adventures; while a number are realistic, most are highly imaginative. There are at various times a lowly merchant friend with a snappish dog, princesses of all sorts, hateful relatives, an angry Sultan, villainous bandits, djinns, wizards, wives of wizards, angels, a strange soldier whose character is hard to pin down, an enchanted cat and kitten, and a sulky genie who emerges from his bottle to grant one wish a day that he tries his best to spoil. Even the threadbare magic carpet has a personality, responding to flattery and panting when weary.

Many of these characters shift form or identity according to the magical powers they possess, or which possess them. Abdullah, on a quest for happiness and the truth about himself, undergoes the kind of change that takes place...