Final answer:
The original version of The Thousand and One Nights existed first as an oral tradition before being compiled into written form in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.
Step-by-step explanation:
The original version of The Thousand and One Nights, known as Arabian Nights in English, was first transmitted orally rather than written. The tales are a compilation of stories collected over centuries, rooted in Middle Eastern folklore and eventually compiled in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. While the infamous collection reflects a melting pot of tales from various cultures, including Indian, Persian, and Arabic, the first written versions were not assembled until after this oral tradition had been long established. The framing device involving Scheherazade and the king, as well as the various stories from Arabian Nights, such as “Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, are indicative of the work's rich oral narrative tradition, which eventually found its way into the hearts of an international audience through translation and print.