DECOUPAGE TRINKET DISH, SCHEHERAZADE AND THE SULTAN SHAHRYAR, FROM 1001 NIGHTS, DIAMETER, 12cm.

One Thousand and One Nights (also known as Arabian Nights).

The fable goes that the King had a great mistrust for women after a deceitful marriage & was in the habit of executing his future wives the day after their marriage.

The highly educated Scheherazade knew of this & when the time came to wed the King she used her wit to survive.

Night after night she would tell the King enchanting stories such as Simbad the Sailor & the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp, however she would save the ending until the following night, where a new story would also begin.