An early example of analepsis is in the "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", where the main story is narrated through a frame story set at a later time. Another early use of this device in a murder mystery was in "The Three Apples", an "Arabian Nights" tale. The story begins with the discovery of a young woman's dead body. After the murderer later reveals himself, he narrates his reasons for the murder in a series of flashbacks leading up to the discovery of her dead body at the beginning of the story. Flashbacks are also employed in several other "Arabian Nights" tales such as "Sinbad the Sailor" and "The City of Brass".