those of Western fancy, however, not tiny creatures but persons with the appearance of men and women, capable of vanishing and of changing themselves into what form they chose. The genii might be controlled if you found the proper charm or talisman, but the fairies and the peris were too clever for that. All these strange beings, with talking birds and animals, are to be found in the tales.
Justice and good government as we think of them did not exist. The caliph was a tyrant with unlimited power, the officials under him ruled by graft and fear, if they were bad, and they usually were. A good vizier or imaun could not depend upon being safe because he was good. His caliph could have him executed for a whim no matter how good he might be. So the main business was to please the caliph.
The beggars were legion. Some of them were religious brotherhoods, like the dervishes and the calenders, others just plain beggars. The people were cruel, and used to seeing death and torture. Beatings were a popular form of punishment, executions were public. Hands were cut off for trifling offences, and heads for those not much more serious. All these things are reflected in the stories. Everything was in extremes, there was the most marvellous luxury side by side with the most terrible poverty, slaves were common, pirates and robbers abounded. It was a wild world, where any adventure might be waiting around the corner. The women were kept secluded, but they managed to get out
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