Magic carpet

A flying carpet is a mythical means of transportation that is especially with oriental tales, especially the tales of the Arabian Nights is associated in Europe. In the presentation, it usually is an Oriental or Persian rug.

Flying carpets in Thousand and One Nights

Contrary to popular notion come in the tales of the Arabian Nights just before flying carpets. In the Galland manuscript, the oldest manuscript of the Thousand and One Nights, which comprises the first 282 nights, they are not mentioned at all, for example. Nevertheless dive some supernatural aircraft on the extended narrative complex, for example in the translation of Gustav Weil.

Aladin and the Wonderful Lamp

In this narrative, Aladin can kidnap the princess Bedrulbudur on their wedding night together with her groom in shared bed and return the next morning. The bed is thereby supported by the spirit of the lamp through the air. (Lit.: Weil, 1865) A flying carpet comes in this version originally did not before, but in numerous adaptations, such as in the Disney animated film Aladdin in 1992.

The history of the city messingnen

In this story, it is reported that God had commanded the wind, " to carry back and just as long for a month on the on the return trip " to King Solomon a carpet. According to the description of the carpet was so great that Solomon is a whole army could assemble it:

The Story of Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Pari Banu

The magic carpet in this story is indeed a universal means of transport that can be used by any of its owners, but he does not fly, but teleports together with the people who take him to court, your destination:

The Thief of Bagdad

Abu, which has been blessed by wise men, asking God for forgiveness and steals where the carpet in order to save his friend. The leader of the wise elders secretly watched and knowing smile, the last theft Abus, so that the prophecy in the faith of the oppressed people fill in the Savior ( = Abu ) is.

More Flying Carpets

In the early years of the film the flying carpet was often used: in Paul Leni's silent film Waxworks (D 1924), this is represented trick technically so compelling that Hollywood for the Douglas Fairbanks film The Thief of Bagdad (USA 1924) this scene shopped.

Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau also experimented in fist - a German folk tale (D 1926) with a kind of flying carpet that was actually the Cloak of Mephisto. Since then, the flying carpet in countless fairy tales and Phantasy films has found its place.

In the comic book Asterix and the Magic (1987 ) Asterix, Obelix and Troubadix traveling on a magic carpet ride to India. The carpet is brought by the power of a fakir to fly (see levitation ).

In Ralf king cartoon The Magic of Schabbar ( 2005, Part 1 of jinn jinn ) of the women's shoe designer Salmonella and his friend, the Ifrit fly ( Desert Spirit) Schabbar, with a flying carpet to the harem of the Caliph Harun al Rashid to Salmonellas aunt a trapped in an old teapot Liebesdschinn to deliver as a birthday gift.

Variants

In the literary fairy tale Little Mook by Wilhelm Hauff (1826 ) Little Muck uses flying slippers.
In European folklore, witches can fly on her broom.