Hear the BBC's adaptation of "The Arabian Nights"

... on Radio 4.

The immortal stories of The Arabian Nights are brought to life in an inventive new adaptation by Glen Neath, reviving favourites such as Ali Baba and The Forty Thieves and The Fisherman and The Demon along with lesser known tales.

This is a world of wonder, magic and comedy - but also of contemporary realism. Successive generations in the east and the west have reinterpreted these tales, recognising the inept rulers, the resourceful slaves and the wondrous magicians. That's why this is one of the most enduring and influential books in literature.

In this first of two parts, we join Ata Madri (Indira Varma) as she heads to modern day Cairo to track down an elusive medieval copy of The Nights - one that is said to contain the original ending. A sea of stories awaits her.

An extraordinary ensemble of actors from east and west come together to tell the tales.