Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

In a town in Persia, there lived two brothers, one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Their father left them scarcely anything. As; but as he had divided his little property equally between them, it would seem that their fortunes ought to have been equal. But chance decidedfortune ought to have been equal; but chance determined otherwise.

Cassim married a woman who soon inherited a large sum and a warehouse full of rich goods. So he suddenlywife, who soon after became heiress to a large sum, and to a warehouse full of rich goods; so that he all at once became one of the richest and most importantconsiderable merchants, and lived at his ease. Ali Baba, on the other hand, who had married a woman as poor as himself, lived in a very poor homewretched habitation. He had no way of supporting, and had no other means to maintain his wife and children except by cutting wood each daybut his daily labour of cutting wood, and bringing it to town to sell on his three donkeys, which were all he ownedsell, upon three asses, which were his whole substance.

One day, One day, when Ali Baba was in the forestforest, and had just cut enough woodwood enough to load his donkeys. He sawasses, he saw at a distance a great cloud of dust in the distance,dust, which seemed to be moving towards him. He watched it closely and soon made out a group of horsemen.driven toward him: he observed it very attentively, and distinguished soon after a body of horse. Though there had been no rumour of robbers in that country, Ali Baba began to suspect that these men might be robbers. Without thinking what might happen to his donkeys, he decidedthink that they might prove such, and without considering what might become of his asses, was resolved to save himself. He climbed up a large, thick tree, whose branches, a little way above the ground, grew so close together that there was hardly anyat a little distance from the ground, were so close to one another that there was but little space between them. He hid in the middle, where he could see everything that happened without being discovered. Theplaced himself in the middle, from whence he could see all that passed without being discovered; and the tree stood at the base of a single rock, so steep and craggy that nobody could climb up it.

The troop came to the foot of this rock and dismounted. All the men rode good horses and carried weapons.troop, who were all well mounted and armed, came to the foot of this rock, and there dismounted. Ali Baba counted forty of them, and, from their looks and equipmentequipage, was sureassured that they were robbers. He was not mistaken:Nor was he mistaken in his opinion; for they were a band of robbers who left the neighbourhood unharmed,troop of banditti, who, without doing any harm to the neighbourhood, robbed at a distance, and used that place to meet. What confirmed his opinion was this: every man took the bridle offmade that place their rendezvous; but what confirmed him in his opinion was, that every man unbridled his horse, tied it to a shrub and hunghim to some shrub, and hung about his neck a bag of grain round its neck. They had brought these bagscorn which they broughtExplanation: “Corn” can mean cereal grain in older British usage. The type of grain used to feed the horses is not specified, so it is not narrowed to maize. behind them. Then each of them took his saddlebagsaddle wallet, which seemed to Ali Baba to be full of gold and silver from its weight. One man, the most handsome among them, seemed to himOne, who was the most personable amongst them, and whom he took to be their captain. With his bag on his back, this man camecaptain, came with his wallet on his back under the tree wherein which Ali Baba was hidden. He madeconcealed, and making his way through some shrubs and spoke these words: "Open, Sesame." He spoke so distinctlyshrubs, pronounced these words so distinctly: "Open, Sesame," that Ali Baba heard him. As soon as the captain of the robbers spokehad uttered these words, a door opened in the rock. He made his wholerock; and after he had made all his troop enter before him, then followed them. Thehe followed them, when the door shut again byof itself. The robbers stayed inside the rock for some time. Ali Baba feared that one of them,some time within the rock, and Ali Baba, who feared that some one, or all of them together, might come out and catch him if he tried to escape. He hadhim, if he should endeavour to make his escape, was obliged to sit patiently in the tree. Still, he was tempted to climbHe was nevertheless tempted to get down, mount one of their horseshorses, and lead another, driving his donkeys before him as fast as he could towards town. But, uncertain how it would turn out, he choseasses before him with all the haste he could to town; but the uncertainty of the event made him choose the safest course.

At last the door opened again, and the forty robbers came out. The captain had gone in last and came out first. He stood watchingAs the captain went in last, he came out first, and stood to see them all pass him. Thenby him, when Ali Baba heard him close the door by speakingmake the door close by pronouncing these words: "Shut, Sesame." Each man put his horse’s bridle back on, fastened his bag and mounted again. WhenEvery man went and bridled his horse, fastened his wallet, and mounted again; and when the captain saw that they werethem all ready, he took the lead,put himself at their head, and they returned the way they had come. Ali Baba did not immediately leave his tree. Theyquit his tree; for, said he to himself, they may have forgotten something, he thought,something and may come back again. Thenagain, and then I shall be caught.taken. He followed them with his eyes as far as he could see them; and then waited a long time before climbing downafterward stayed a considerable time before he descended. He rememberedRemembering the words the captain had usedof the robbers used to cause the door to open and shut the door. Curious to see whether they would work for him too,shut, he had the curiosity to try if his pronouncing them would have the same effect. Accordingly, he went among the shrubs. He spotted the door hiddenshrubs, and perceiving the door concealed behind them, stood before itit, and said: "Open, Sesame!"Open, Sesame!" The door instantly flew wide open. Ali Baba had expected a dark, gloomy cavern. Instead, heBaba, who expected a dark dismal cavern, was surprised to find a spacious, well-lit cave with a vaulted ceiling. Light entered throughsee it well lighted and spacious, in the form of a vault, which received the light from an opening at the top of the rock. He saw all sorts of provisions, rich bales of silk fabric,stuff, brocade with its raised woven patterns,brocade, and valuable carpetingand valuable carpeting, piled upon one another. There were great heaps ofanother; gold and silver ingots, or metal bars,ingots in great heaps, and money in bags. The sight of all these riches made him suppose that one group of robbers after another must have used this cave for ages.this cave must have been occupied for ages by robbers, who had succeeded one another. Ali Baba did not spend long wondering what to do. He went straightstand long to consider what he should do, but went immediately into the cave, and as soon as he entered, the door shut by itself. Thishad entered, the door shut of itself, but this did not disturb him, because he knew the secret of openingto open it again. He paid no attention tonever regarded the silver, but made the best use of his time in carrying out as much of the gold coin as he thought his three donkeysasses could carry. He gathered his scattered donkeys andcollected his asses, which were dispersed, and when he had loaded them with the bags. Then hebags, laid wood over the bags to hide them.in such a manner that they could not be seen. When he had finished,done he stood before the door and spokedoor, and pronouncing the words: "Shut, Sesame!" The door closed after him. It had shut by"Shut, Sesame!" the door closed after him, for it had shut of itself while he was inside, but had stayedwithin, but remained open while he was outside. He then hurried backout. He then made the best of his way to town.

When Ali Baba got home, he drove his donkeysasses into a little yard andyard, shut the gates very carefully. Hecarefully, threw off the wood coveringthat covered the bags, carried them indoors and arranged them in front ofinto his house, and ranged them in order before his wife, who sat on a sofa. His wife handled the bags and found them full of money. She, and finding them full of money, suspected that her husband had been robbing, andinsomuch that she could not help saying: "Ali Baba, have you had the misfortunebeen so unhappy as to——" "Be quiet, wife," interrupted Ali Baba, "do not frighten yourself; I am no robber, unless stealing from robbers makes me onehe may be one who steals from robbers. You will no longer think badly of me when I tell you ofentertain an ill opinion of me, when I shall tell you my good fortune." He He then emptied the bags, making awhich raised such a great heap of gold so great that it dazzled his wife’s eyes. Then heas dazzled his wife's eyes; and when he had done, told her the whole adventure from beginning to end. Above all, he urgedend; and, above all, recommended her to keep it secret. The wife, cured of her fears, rejoiced with her husband at their good fortune, and wanted towould count all the gold piece by piece. "Wife," replied Ali Baba, "you do not know what you are taking on when you try to count the money; you will never finishundertake, when you pretend to count the money; you will never have done. I will dig a hole, and bury it; there is no time to be lost." "You are  in the right, husband," replied she; "but let us know, as closelynigh as possible, how much we have. I will borrow a small measuring containermeasure in the neighbourhood, and measure it, while you dig the hole." "What you are going to do is pointlessto no purpose, wife," said Ali Baba; "if you take my advice, you will leave it alone. Butwould take my advice, you had better let it alone; but keep the secret, and do what you please." Away the wife ran to her brother-in-law Cassim, who lived just by, but he was not at home. She asked his wifewas not then at home; and addressing herself to his wife, desired her to lend her a measure for a little while. Her sister-in-law asked whether she wanted a largeher, whether she would have a great or a small one. The wife asked for a small one. The sister-in-law agreed to lend one. But, knowing, but as she knew Ali Baba's poverty, she was curious to know what sort of grain his wife wanted to measure. She slyly put, and artfully putting some suet, or animal fat,suet at the bottom of the measure, then measure, brought it to her. She apologised for keeping her waiting so long, sayingher with an excuse, that she was sorry that she had not been able tomade her stay so long, but that she could not find it sooner. Ali Baba’s wife went home andBaba's wife went home, set the measure onupon the heap of gold. Shegold, filled it and emptied it onto the sofa again and again, until she had measured it all. Delighted at how many measures there were, sheoften upon the sofa, till she had done: when she was very well satisfied to find the number of measures amounted to so many as they did, and went to tell her husband, who had almost finished digging the hole. While Ali Baba buriedwas burying the gold, his wife took the measure backwife, to show her sister-in-law that she was careful and reliable. She did notexactness and diligence to her sister-in-law, carried the measure back again, but without taking notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the bottom. "Sister," said she, giving it to her again, "you see that I have not kept your measure long; I am grateful to you for lendingobliged to you for it, and return it with thanks."

As soon as her sister-in-law was gone, Cassim's wife looked at the bottom of the measure, and was astonished beyond wordsinexpressibly surprised to find a piece of gold stuck to it. Envy immediately filled her heartpossessed her breast. "What!" said she, "does Ali Baba have so much gold that he measureshas Ali Baba gold so plentiful as to measure it? Where has that poor wretch got all this wealth?" Her husband Cassim was at his business office, which he always leftCassim, her husband, was not at home, but at his counting-house, which he left always in the evening. SheHis wife waited for him, and the time seemed an age. She was so impatientthought the time an age; so great was her impatience to tell him what had happened, guessing thatthe circumstance, at which she guessed he would be as surprised as she was.much surprised as herself.

When Cassim came home, his wife said to him: "Cassim, I know you think yourself rich, but you are much mistaken; Ali Baba is infinitely richer than you; he does not count his money, but measures it." Cassim asked her to explain the riddle. She told him the trickdesired her to explain the riddle, which she did, by telling him the stratagem she had used to make the discovery, and showed him the piece of money. It, which was so old that they could not tell in what prince's reign it had beenwas coined. InsteadCassim, instead of being pleased, Cassim felt bitter envy of his brother’s prosperity. Heconceived a base envy at his brother's prosperity; he could not sleep all nightthat night, and went to him before sunrise. Yet ever since marryingin the morning before sunrise, although after he had married the rich widow, he had neglected Ali Baba instead of treatingnever treated him as a brother.brother, but neglected him. "Ali Baba," said he, addressingaccosting him, "you keep your affairs very quiet. You pretend to be miserably poor,are very reserved in your affairs; you pretend to be miserably poor, and yet you measure gold." "How, brother?" replied Ali Baba; "I do not know what you mean: explain yourself." "Do not pretend ignorance," replied Cassim, showing him the piece of gold his wife had given him. "How many of these pieces do you have?" he added. "Mypieces," added he, "have you? My wife found this at the bottom of the measure you borrowed yesterday."

From these words, Ali Baba realised that his own wife's folly had letBy this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his wife discover what he and his wife had every reason to conceal. Butwife, through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much reason to conceal; but what was done could not be undone. Without showingrecalled; therefore, without shewing the least surprise or distress, he confessed everything,trouble, he confessed all, told his brother howby what chance he had discovered the thieves’ hideout and where it was,this retreat of the thieves, in what place it was; and offered him part of his treasure to keep the secret. "I expect as much," replied Cassim haughtily; "but I must know exactly where this treasure is and how to visit it whenever I choose. Otherwise, I will report you. Then you willis, and how I may visit it myself when I choose; otherwise I will go and inform against you, and then you will not only get no more, and will lose everything you have. I shall getbut will lose all you have, and I shall have a share for giving themy information."

Ali Baba told him everything he wanted to know, including the exact words to enter the cave. He did so more fromBaba, more out of his natural good temper than from fear of his cruel brother’s threats.temper, than frightened by the menaces of his unnatural brother, told him all he desired, and even the very words he was to use to gain admission into the cave.

Cassim, who wanted no more of Ali Baba, left him, determined to get there beforeresolving to be beforehand with him, and hoping to get all the treasure to himself. He rose the next morning long before the sun, and set out for the forest with ten mules bearing great chests, which he intended to fill. Hedesigned to fill; and followed the road which Ali Baba had pointed out to him. He soon reached the rock and found the place by the tree and the other signs his brother had described.was not long before he reached the rock, and found out the place by the tree, and other marks, which his brother had given him. When he reached the entrance of the cavern, he pronounced the words: "Open, Sesame!" The door opened at once and closed behind him when he went in.and the door immediately opened, and when he was in, closed upon him. In examining the cave, he marvelled at finding much greater riches than he had imaginedwas in great admiration to find much more riches than he had apprehended from Ali Baba's account. He was so greedy for wealthcovetous, and greedy of wealth, that he could have spent all daythe whole day in feasting his eyes on the treasure. Onlywith so much treasure, if the thought that he had comecame to carry some away stoppedhad not hindered him. He laid as many bags of gold as he could carry at the cave’s door. Butdoor of the cavern, but his thoughts were so full of the great riches he would ownshould possess, that he could not remember the word to open it. Instead of "Sesame," hethink of the necessary word to make it open, but instead of "Sesame," said: "Open, Barley!" He wasand was much amazed to find that the door stayed tightlyremained fast shut. He named several sorts of grain, but still the door would not open. Cassim had never expected such an incident, and was so alarmed at the danger he was in, that the harder he triedmore he endeavoured to remember the word "Sesame," the more confused his memory became. He had forgotten it as completely as if he had never heard ithis memory was confounded, and he had as much forgotten it as if he had never heard it mentioned. He threw down the bags he had loaded himself with and walked distractedly up and down the cave, without paying the least attention to the riches aroundhaving the least regard to the riches that were round him. About noon, the robbers happenednoon the robbers chanced to visit their cave. From some distance away, they saw Cassim’s mules wandering about the rockcave, and at some distance from it saw Cassim's mules straggling about the rock, with great chests on their backs. Alarmed at this unexpected sightnovelty, they galloped full speed to the cave. They drove away the mules, which Cassim had failed to tie up. The animals strayed so far into the forestneglected to fasten, and they strayed through the forest so far, that they were soon out of sight. The robbers did not bother to chase them: they werenever gave themselves the trouble to pursue them, being more concerned to find out who owned them. While some searched roundknow to whom they belonged, and while some of them searched about the rock, the captain and the rest went straight to the door with drawndirectly to the door, with their naked sabres in their hands. They pronouncedhands, and pronouncing the proper words, and the doorit opened.

FromCassim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet from the middle of the cave, Cassim heard the horses’ hoofbeats. He had no doubt that the robbers had arrived and his death was near, but decidednever doubted of the arrival of the robbers, and his approaching death; but was resolved to make one attempt to escape.effort to escape from them. HeTo this end he rushed to the door. As soon as he heard the forgotten word Sesamedoor, and no sooner heard the word Sesame, which he had forgotten, and saw the door open, open, than he ran out and knocked the leader down. But hethrew the leader down, but could not escape the other robbers, who soon killed him with their sabres.with their sabres soon deprived him of life. The robbers’ first concernfirst care of the robbers after this was to examine the cave. They found all the bags bags which Cassim had brought to the door, door, to be ready to load onto load his mules, and put them back in their places. They did not noticecarried them again to their places, without missing what Ali Baba had taken earlier.away before. Then they held a council to discuss what had happened. They guessed that Cassim had been unable to get out once he was inside,holding a council, and deliberating upon this occurrence, they guessed that Cassim, when he was in, could not get out again; but could not imagine how he had entered. They thoughtIt came into their heads that he might have climbed down throughgot down by the top of the cave. But the opening that let incave; but the aperture by which it received light was so high, and the rocks outside so impossible to climb,so inaccessible without, that they gave up this idea.conjecture. Yet they could not believe that he had come through the door unless he knew the secret of opening it.That he came in at the door they could not believe, however, unless he had the secret of making it open. In short, none of them could imagine which way he had entered; for they were all persuaded nobody knew their secret, little imagining that Ali Baba had watched them. It was most important to them to protecta matter of the greatest importance to them to secure their riches. So they agreedThey agreed therefore to cut up Cassim’s body and hang his remains on both sides of the cave’s doorway,cut Cassim's body into quarters, to hang two on one side and two on the other, within the door of the cave,Explanation: Exception for children: Cassim’s body is still cut up and displayed to frighten intruders. The precise division into four pieces and their arrangement are omitted. to terrify anyone who tried to enter again.any person who should attempt again to enter. No sooner had they made this decision than they carried it out. WithThey had no sooner taken this resolution than they put it in execution, and when they had nothing more to keep them there, they locked up their treasure securely.detain them, left the place of their hoards well closed. Then they mounted their horses and went to prowl the roads again, attacking anyThey then mounted their horses, went to beat the roads again, and to attack the caravans they might meet.

In the meantime, Cassim's wife was very uneasy when night came, and her husband hadwas not returned. She ran to Ali Baba in alarm, and said: "I believe, brother-in-law, that you know Cassim, your brother, has gone to the forest, and why. It is now night, and he hasis gone to the forest, and upon what account; it is now night, and he is not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has happened to him." After what his brother had said, Ali Baba had expected him toAli Baba, who had expected that his brother, after what he had said, would go to the forest. He had stayed away himself that dayforest, had declined going himself that day, for fear of offending him. Without criticising her husband’s unkind behaviour, he told her not to be frightened. He assured her that Cassim would surely think it best to enter the town late at night.giving him any umbrage; therefore told her, without any reflection upon her husband's unhandsome behaviour, that she need not frighten herself, for that certainly Cassim would not think it proper to come into the town till the night should be pretty far advanced.

Cassim’s wife knew how important it was forCassim's wife, considering how much it concerned her husband to keep the business secret. That made it easier for hersecret, was the more easily persuaded to believe her brother-in-law. She went home again, and waited patiently till midnight. She repented of her foolish curiosity, and cursed her desire to pryof penetrating into the affairs of her brother and sister-in-law. She spent all night weeping. As soon as it was day, she went to them, and her tears told them why she had come.the night in weeping; and as soon as it was day, went to them, telling them, by her tears, the cause of her coming. Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to ask him to find out what had happened to Cassim. He begged her to control her grief, then leftdesire him to go and see what was become of Cassim, but departed immediately with his three donkeys.asses, begging of her first to moderate her affliction. He went to the forest without seeing his brother or the mules on the way. As he neared the rock, heforest, and when he came near the rock, having seen neither his brother nor the mules in his way, was seriously alarmed to findat finding some blood spilt near the door. He took it as a bad sign. He spoke the worddoor, which he took for an ill omen; but when he had pronounced the word, and the door opened. The dreadfulhad opened, he was struck with horror at the dismal sight of his brother’s body struck him with horror.brother's body. Without dwelling on how little brotherly affection Cassim had shownadverting to the little fraternal affection his brother had shewn for him, Ali Baba enteredwent into the cave to find something to wrap his remains in. He loaded them onto one donkey and covered themenshroud his remains, and having loaded one of his asses with them, covered them over with wood. The other two donkeysasses he loaded with bags of gold, covering them with wood as before. Then he spoke the words to shut the door and left. Cautiously, he waited at the edge of the forest so that he would not enteralso as before; and then bidding the door shut, came away; but was so cautious as to stop some time at the end of the forest, that he might not go into the town before night. When he came home, he drove the two donkeysasses loaded with gold into his little yard, and left the care of unloading them to his wife, while he led the other to his sister-in-law's house.

Ali Baba knocked at the door. Morgiana opened it: she wasdoor, which was opened by Morgiana, an intelligent slave, full of ideas for succeedingfruitful in inventions to insure success in the most difficult tasks, as Ali Baba well knew.undertakings: and Ali Baba knew her to be such. He entered the courtyard, unloaded the donkey and took Morgiana aside. HeWhen he came into the court, he unloaded the ass, and taking Morgiana aside, said to her: "The first thing I ask of you is absolutean inviolable secrecy, both for your mistress's sake and mine. Your master’s remains are in these two bundles. We mustmaster's body is contained in these two bundles, and our business is, to bury him as if he had died a natural death. Go, tell your mistress I want to speak with her; and mind what I have said to you."

Morgiana went to her mistress, and Ali Baba followed her. "Well, brother," said she, with impatience, "what news do you bring me of my husband? I see no comfort in your faceperceive no comfort in your countenance." "Sister," answered Ali Baba, "I cannot answer your questions unless you listen tosatisfy your inquiries unless you hear my story without saying a word. It is as important for you as forspeaking a word; for it is of as great importance to you as to me to keep what has happened secret." "Alas!" said she, "this introduction tells mepreamble lets me know that my husband cannot be found. But I know that secrecy is necessary,is not to be found; but at the same time I know the necessity of secrecy, and I must control myself. Go on; I will listenconstrain myself: say on, I will hear you."

Ali Baba then described what had happened on his journey, until he came to finding Cassim’sdetailed the incidents of his journey, till he came to the finding of Cassim's body. "Now," said he, "sister, I have something to tell you that will grieve you all the more because you expect it so little. Butrelate which will afflict you the more, because it is what you so little expect; but it cannot now be put right. If my effortsremedied; if my endeavours can comfort you, I offer to add what God hasput that which God hath sent me to what you have, and marry you. I assureyou: assuring you that my wife will not be jealous, and that we shall live happily together. If you agree to this proposal, we must arrange things to make it seemthis proposal is agreeable to you, we must think of acting so that my brother brother should appear to have died a natural death. I think you can leave that to Morgiana. I will do everythingmay leave the management of the business to Morgiana, and I will contribute all that lies in my power to comfort you.your consolation." What could Cassim's widow do better than accept this proposal? Thoughof this proposal? for though her first husband had left a large fortune,behind him a plentiful substance, his brother was now much richer. His discovery of the treasure might make him richer still.richer, and by the discovery of this treasure might be still more so. InsteadInstead, therefore, of rejecting the offer, she saw it as a sure source of comfort. She dried the tears thatregarded it as the sure means of comfort; and drying up her tears, which had begun to flow abundantly and held back the criesabundantly, and suppressing the outcries usual with women who have lost their husbands. Shehusbands, showed Ali Baba that she acceptedapproved of his proposal. Ali Baba left the widow, urged Morgiana to play her part well and returned home with his donkey.recommended to Morgiana to act her part well, and then returned home with his ass.