Insights
Credit for telling the tale of Aladdin has often gone to Antoine Galland, the first European
translator of The Arabian Nights. This collection of Middle Eastern folktales was originally a
medieval Arabic story cycle, but the tale of Aladdin itself may be a more recent invention.
Scholars have not discovered any manuscript of the story predating Galland’s version, which was
published in 1712. Galland himself noted in his diary that he first heard the story from a Syrian
storyteller named Hanna Diyab, a man from Aleppo. Though Diyab’s role in the creation of the
tale was significant, Galland never credited him in his published translations of the Arabian
Nights.
Despite the fantastical elements of the story, some scholars now believe that Aladdin may have
been based on a real person and real experiences—those of Diyab himself. Diyab, in addition to
sharing oral stories with Galland, also wrote a travelogue in the mid-18th century, in which he
recalls telling Galland the story of Aladdin. In his writings, Diyab describes his upbringing in
poverty and his awe at the grandeur of Versailles, the lavish French palace. His descriptions of
Versailles bear striking similarities to the opulent palace that appears in Galland’s version of
Aladdin. This has led scholars, including Paulo Lemos Horta, to suggest that Diyab may have
based the character of Aladdin on his own life experiences. According to Horta, “Aladdin might
be the young Arab Maronite from Aleppo, marveling at the jewels and riches of Versailles.”
For centuries, scholars believed that the rags-to-riches story of Aladdin was either inspired by
the plots of French fairy tales of the time or invented as part of the 18th-century wave of French
Orientalism. This fascination with Middle Eastern luxuries and exoticism shaped many European
stories and artistic creations. The idea that the story might instead have been influenced by the
experiences of a Middle Eastern man encountering French culture offers a fresh perspective on
Aladdin’s origins. Diyab’s life as a young man from Aleppo exposed to the wonders of 18thcentury France suggests a blending of Eastern storytelling traditions with Western influences.
Diyab’s unique position as a storyteller with experiences from both the East and the West makes
him an ideal figure for the creation of a tale like Aladdin. He could combine the rich narrative
traditions of his homeland with his observations of the opulence and extravagance of French
society. According to Horta, Diyab’s life and the story of Aladdin embody “the overlapping world
of East and West,” offering a story that reflects cultural exchange, rather than merely the
Western fantasy of the exotic East. In this way, Diyab’s telling of the Aladdin tale flips the script:
instead of a French author inventing a story about the East, it is a Middle Eastern storyteller
shaping a narrative based on his encounter with the West.
The story of Aladdin has endured for over 300 years, not only because of its dramatic narrative
but also because it resonates with historical and cultural themes that remain relevant. The tale
reflects a history of the interactions between the French and the Middle East, but it also presents
the perspective of a Middle Easterner encountering Paris and Western culture. In Horta’s view,
this aspect of the story speaks to the world today, where cross-cultural exchanges and
migrations continue to shape narratives.
Diyab’s account of his time in Paris provides further context for understanding the story of
Aladdin. He arrived in France at a time of great social unrest, with riots caused by food shortages
during the harsh winter of 1708-1709. While Galland’s writings do not suggest any deep
awareness of these struggles, Diyab’s memoir reveals his sensitivity to the hardships
experienced by the common people of Paris at the time. In his diary, Diyab expresses solidarity
with other Arabs living in Paris, offering a glimpse into the shared experiences of Middle
Easterners in France.
This empathy and awareness of social conditions, which Diyab demonstrates in his memoir,
contrast with Galland’s more detached perspective. According to Horta, Galland’s writing does
not show the depth of understanding required to create a character like Aladdin with such
nuance and sympathy. Diyab, on the other hand, was adept at capturing the psychology of a
young protagonist, as well as recognizing the kinds of injustices and opportunities that could
shape a young adventurer’s journey. This makes it more plausible that Diyab, rather than Galland,
was the true creative force behind the story of Aladdin.
The injustices that Diyab observed during his time in Paris likely influenced his storytelling,
adding a layer of social commentary to the Aladdin tale. The story of a poor young man who rises
to power and wealth with the help of a magical genie can be read as an allegory for the
challenges and opportunities faced by marginalized individuals in a world of stark inequalities.
The character of Aladdin, with his humble beginnings and eventual triumph, may reflect Diyab’s
own understanding of the struggles of the underprivileged and the ways in which fortune and
resourcefulness can change a person’s fate.
In this light, the story of Aladdin becomes more than just a fairy tale—it becomes a reflection of
the social and cultural dynamics of the time, as seen through the eyes of a Middle Eastern
storyteller living in France. Diyab’s contribution to the tale, though historically overlooked, adds
depth to the story and highlights the complexity of its origins. Rather than a simple product of
French Orientalism, Aladdin emerges as a narrative shaped by cross-cultural experiences and
the real-life encounters of a young man navigating the intersection of East and West.
