ABSTRACT
Few nations possess such a luxuriant development of legends, myths and tales as Persia. Most of the stories which have been transmitted to Europe through various channels, especially through the Arabian collections, have been traced back to Persian tales and one may suspect a similar origin for many more. A recent article which the writer of this paper published in the Muséon (1923) on “Paradis d’Orient—Paradis d’Occident” is an illustration of the fact that Iran gives the key of most problems connected with the origin of the marvellous stories that have enriched Western literature and notably the tales which roused the hopes of the conquistadores in their march to the West.
