[M&D p. 22] Spoiler -- Question

[Sean Klein]

> Spoiler-cum-question below:
[and answer to! sk]
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> On page 22, the L.E.D. says:
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>  "[...] we go on as tail-wagging Scheherezades, ever a step away from
>   the dread Palm Leaf, nightly delaying the Blades of our Masters by
>   telling back to them tales of their humanity."
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> What does the Palm Leaf mean?  What is it?  I am guessing that
> Scheherezade must be the wife in "1001 Nights", am I correct?
> (Right after that a sailor says: "Oh I say, Dog in Palm Leaf, what 
> nonsense")
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> Saludos, Juan.
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Scheherezade is the young woman in "1001 Nights" who tells the cuckolded king stories to prevent her death.  The story within a story format of "1001 Nights" should be familiar to all on this list.  She eventually becomes his wife (oops, should have put a spoiler warning!)

The reference to palm leaves is: (1) to the mention of dog cooked in palm leaves, and (2) in popular culture, sultans and other middle eastern types were shown being fanned by palm leaves.  The dog is like Scheherezade because as long as he talks (tells stories) he prevents himself from dying, i.e. becoming a sailor's lunch (in a palm leaf).

Sean "Of course I could be wrong about this" Klein