Tales from the Thousand and One Nights

The framing device of Scheherazade keeps the stories flowing and adds layers to the narrative. I'm curious whether this structure was intentional from the start or evolved over time.

Some tales seem to highlight themes of justice, wisdom, and cleverness. I'm wondering if these stories served a particular social or moral purpose.

Given the vast array of tales, I'm curious how the editors or storytellers chose which stories to pass down and include here — were they the most popular, or held special significance?