my obligation to the mother as well as daughter. She said to me, You
see my daughter has as great skill in the magic art as Amina; but
makes so good a use of it, that you would be surprised to know the
good she has done, and daily does with it. This induces me to let
her practise it; for I should not permit her, if I perceived she
made an ill use of it in the smallest instance.
The mother began to relate some of the wonders she had seen her do,
when she came into the room again, with a little bottle in her hand.
Sidi Nonman, said she, my books, which I have been consulting, tell
me that Amina is now abroad, but will be at home presently. They
also inform me, she pretended before your servants to be very uneasy
at your absence, and made them believe, that at dinner you
recollected some business which obliged you to go out again
immediately; that as you went out, you left the door open, and a dog
came into the hall where she was at dinner, and she beat him out
with a great stick.
Take this little bottle and go home immediately, and wait in your
own chamber till she comes in, which will not be long. As soon as
she comes home, run down into the yard, and meet her face to face.
In her surprise to see you return so unexpectedly, she will turn her
back to run away; then be sure to have the bottle ready, and throw
some of the liquor it contains upon her, pronouncing at the same
time these words boldly: Receive the chastisement of thy wickedness.
I will tell you no more; you will see the effect.
After these words I took my leave of my benefactress and her mother,
with all the testimonies of the most perfect gratitude, and a
sincere protestation never to forget my obligation to them; and then
went home.
All things happened as the young magician foretold. Amina was not
long before she came home. As she came up the yard, I met her with
the water in my hand. As soon as she saw me, she shrieked out; and
as she turned about to run to the door, I threw the liquor upon her,
pronouncing the words which the young magician taught me, and she
was instantly changed into the same mare which your majesty saw me
upon yesterday.
At that instant, in the surprise she was in, I seized her by the
mane, and notwithstanding her resistance, led her into the stable,
where I put an halter upon her head, and when I had tied her to the
rack, reproaching her with her baseness, I chastised her with a whip
till I was tired, and punished her every day since after the same
manner. I hope, commander of the faithful, continued Sidi Nonman,
making an end of his story, your majesty will not disapprove of my
conduct, and will think I have shown so wicked and pernicious a
woman more indulgence than she deserved.
When the caliph found that Sidi Nonman had no more to say, he said
to him, Your story is very singular, and the wickedness of your wife
inexcusable; therefore I do not absolutely condemn the chastisement
you have hitherto given her; but I would have you consider now great
a punishment it is to be reduced to the condition of beasts, and
wish you would be content with that chastisement. I would order you
to go and address yourself to the young magician, to wave the
enchantment and metamorphosis she has inflicted, but that I know the
obstinacy and incorrigible cruelty of magicians of both sexes, who
abuse their art; and were I not apprehensive that the second effect
of your wife’s revenge would be more violent than the first.
The caliph, who was naturally mild and compassionate to all
sufferers, after he had declared his mind to Sidi Nonman, addressed
himself to the third person the grand vizier Giafar had summoned to
attend him. Cogia Hassan, said he, passing yesterday by your house,
it seemed so magnificent that I had a curiosity to know to whom it
belonged, and was told that you, whose trade is so mean that a man
can scarce get his bread by it, have built this house after you had
followed this trade some years. I was likewise informed that you
make a good use of the riches God has blessed you with, and your
neighbours speak well of you.
All this pleases me well, added the caliph, and I am persuaded that
the means by which Providence has been pleased to bestow these gifts
on you must have been very extraordinary. I am curious to know them
from your own mouth, and sent for you on purpose to have that
satisfaction. Speak sincerely, that when I know your story, I may
rejoice in your good fortune.
But that you may not suspect my curiosity, and believe that I have
any other interest than what I tell you, I declare, that far from
having any pretensions, I give you my word you shall enjoy freely
all you have got.
On these assurances of the caliph, Cogia Hassan prostrated himself
before his throne, with his forehead down to the carpet, and when he
rose up again, said, Commander of the faithful, any other person but
myself might have been alarmed at having been summoned to appear
before your majesty; but knowing that my conscience was clear, and
that I had committed nothing against the law, nor your majesty, but,
on the contrary, had always the most respectful sentiments and the
profoundest veneration for your person, my only fear was, that I
should not be able to support the lustre of your throne. But
nevertheless, on the public report of your majesty’s receiving
favourably, and hearing the meanest of your subjects, I took
courage, and never doubted but I should have confidence enough to
give you all the satisfaction you should require of me. Besides,
your majesty has given me a proof of your goodness, by granting me
your protection before you know whether I deserve it. Nevertheless,
I hope you will retain the advantageous sentiments you have of me,
when, in obedience to your command, I shall relate my adventures to
you.
After this little compliment to conciliate the caliph’s good will
and attention, and after some moments’ recollection, Cogia Hassan
resumed his discourse in the following manner:
The Story of Cogia Hassan Alhabbal.
Commander of the faithful, said he, that your majesty may the better
understand by what means I arrived at the happiness I now enjoy, I
ought to acquaint you, there are two intimate friends, citizens of
Bagdad, now alive, who can testify the truth of what I shall tell
you, and to whom, after God, the author of all good, I owe my
prosperity.
These two friends are called, the one Saadi, the other Saad. Saadi,
who is very rich, was always of opinion, that no man could be happy
in this world without great riches, to live independent of every one.
Saad was of another opinion; he agreed that riches were necessary in
life, but maintained that the happiness of a man’s life consisted
in virtue, without any farther attachment to worldly goods than what
were necessary in life, and to do good withal.
Saad himself is one of this number, and lives very happily and
contented in his station; and though Saadi is infinitely more rich,
their friendship is very sincere, and the richest sets no more value
on himself than the other. They never had any other dispute but on
this point; in all other things their union has been very strict.
One day as they were talking upon this subject, as I have since been
informed by them both, Saadi affirmed that poverty proceeded from
men’s being born poor, or spending their fortunes in luxury and
debauchery, or by some of those unforeseen fatalities which are not
extraordinary. My opinion, said he, is, that most people’s poverty
is owing to their wanting at first a sufficient sum of money to
raise them above want, by employing their industry to improve it:
for, said he, if they once had such a sum, and made a right use of
it, they would not only live well, but would infallibly grow rich in
time.
Saad could not come into his sentiments. The way, said he, which you
propose to make a poor man rich, is not so certain as you imagine.
Your plan is very hazardous, and I can bring many good arguments
against your opinions, but that they will carry us too far. I
believe, with as much probability, that a poor man may become rich
by other means, as well as by money: and there are people who have
raised as great and surprising fortunes by mere chance, as others
have done by money, with all their good economy and management to
increase it by the best conducted trade.
Saad, replied Saadi, I see we shall not come to any determination by
my persisting in opposing my opinion against yours. I will make an
experiment to convince you, by giving, for example, a sum of money
to some artisan, whose ancestors from father to son have always been
poor, and lived only from day to day, and died as arrant beggars as
they were born. If I have not the success I expect, you shall try if
you will have better by the means you shall use.
Some days after this dispute, these two friends happened to walk out
together, and passing through the street where I was at work in my
stall, at my trade of rope-making, which I learnt of my father, who
learnt of his, and he of his ancestors; and by my dress and equipage
it was no hard matter for them to guess at my poverty.
Saad, remembering Saadi’s engagement, said, If you have not forgot
what you said to me, there is a man, pointing to me, whom I can
remember a long time working at his trade of rope-making, and in the
same poverty: he is a worthy subject for your liberality, and a
proper person for you to make your experiment upon. I remember it so
well, replied Saadi, that I have ever since carried a sufficient sum
about me to do it, but only waited for an opportunity of being
together, that you might be witness of the fact. Let us go to him,
and know if he is really necessitous.
The two friends came to me, and I, seeing that they had a mind to
speak to me, left off work. They both accosted me with the common
salutation, and Saadi wishing me peace, asked me my name.
I returned their salutation, and answered their question, saying to
him, Sir, my name is Hassan; but by reason of my trade, I am
commonly known by the name of Hassan Alhabbal.
Hassan, replied Saadi, as there is no trade but what a man may live
by, I doubt not but yours produces enough for you to live well; and
I am amazed, that the long time you have worked at your trade, you
have not saved enough to lay in a good stock of hemp to extend your
manufacture and employ more hands, by the profit of whose work you
would soon increase your income.
Sir, replied I, you will be no longer amazed I have not saved money,
and taken the way you mention to become rich, when you come to know
that let me work as hard as I can from morning till night, I can
hardly get enough to keep my family in bread and pulse. I have a
wife and five children, not one of whom is old enough to be of the
least assistance to me. I must keep them and clothe them, and in our
poor way of living, they still want a thousand necessaries, which
they cannot do without. And though hemp is not very dear, I must
have money to buy it. This is the first thing I do with any money I
receive for my work; otherwise, if I should neglect to do so, I and
my family must starve.
Now judge, Sir, added I, if it is possible, that I should save any
thing for myself and family: it is enough that we are content with
the little that God sends us, and that we have not the knowledge nor
desire of what we want, but can live as we have always been bred up,
and are not reduced to beg.
When I had given Saadi this account, he said to me, Hassan, I am not
so much surprised, as I was, and I comprehend what obliges you to be
content in your station. But if I should make a present of a purse
of two hundred pieces of gold, would not you make a good use of it?
and do not you believe, that with such a sum you could become soon
as rich as the principal of your profession?
Sir, replied I, you seem to be so good a gentleman, that I am
persuaded you would not banter me, but that the offer you make me,
is serious; and I dare say, without presuming too much upon myself,
that a much less sum would be sufficient, not only to make me as
rich as the principal of our profession, but that in time I should
be richer than all of them in this city together, though Bagdad is
so large and populous.
The generous Saadi showed me immediately that in what he said he was
serious. He pulled a purse out of his bosom, and putting it into my
hands, said, Here, take this purse; you will find it contains two
hundred pieces of gold: I pray God bless you with them, and give you
grace to make the good use of them I desire; and believe me, my
friend Saad, whom you see here, and I, shall both take great
pleasure in finding we may contribute in making you more happy than
you now are.
Commander of the faithful, when I had got the purse, the first thing
I did was to put it into my bosom; but the transport of my joy was
so great, and I was so much penetrated with gratitude, that my
speech failed me, and I could give my benefactor no other tokens of
my gratitude, than to lay hold of the hem of his garment and kiss
it; but he drew it from me; and he and his friend pursued their walk.
As soon as they were gone, I returned to my work again, and my first
thought was, what I should do with my purse to keep it safe. I had
in my poor house neither box nor cupboard to lock it up in, nor any
other place where I could be sure it would not be discovered if I
had it.
In this perplexity, as I had been used, like many poor people of my
sort, to put the little money I had in the folds of my turban, I
left my work, and went into the house, under pretence of wrapping my
turban up anew. And I took such precautions that neither my wife nor
children saw what I was doing. But first I laid aside ten pieces of
gold for present necessaries, and wrapt the rest up in the folds of
the linen which went about my cap.
The principal expense I was at that day, was to lay in a good stock
of hemp, and afterwards, as my family had eaten no flesh meat a long
time, I went to the shambles, and bought something for supper.
As I was carrying the meat I had bought home in my hand, a famished
kite flew upon me, and would have taken away my meat, if I had not
held it very fast; but, alas! I had better parted with it than lost
my money; the fester I held my meat, the more the bird struggled to
get it, drawing me sometimes on one side, and sometimes on another;
but would not quit the prize, till unfortunately by my efforts the
turban fell on the ground.
The kite immediately let go his hold, and seizing on my turban
before I could pick it up, flew away with it. I cried out so loud,
that I frightened all the men, women, and children in the
neighbourhood, who joined their shouts and cries to make the kite
quit his hold; for by that means these sort of voracious birds are
often forced to quit their prey. But our cries did not frighten this
kite; he carried off my turban, and we soon lost sight of him before
he dropt it, and it would have been in vain for me to fatigue myself
with running after him.
I went home very melancholy at the loss of my turban and money. I
was obliged to buy a new turban, which diminished the small
remainder of the ten pieces; for I had laid out a deal in hemp. The
little that was left was not sufficient to give me reason to gratify
the great hopes I had conceived.
But what troubled me most was the little satisfaction I should be
able to give my benefactor for his ill-placed generosity, when he
should come to hear what a misfortune I had met with, which he would
perhaps look upon as incredible, and consequently an idle excuse.
While the remainder of the ten pieces lasted, my little family and I
lived the better for it; but I soon relapsed into the same poverty,
and the same inability to extricate myself from wretchedness.
However, I never murmured nor repined. God, said I, was pleased to
give me riches when I least expected them; he has thought fit to
take them from me again almost at the same time, because it so
pleased him, and they were at his disposal; yet I will praise his
name for all the benefits I have received, as it was his good
pleasure, and submit myself, as I have ever done hitherto, to his
will.
These were my sentiments, while my wife, from whom I could not keep
secret the loss I had sustained, was inconsolable. In my trouble I
had told my neighbours, that when I lost my turban, I lost a hundred
and ninety pieces of gold; but as they knew my poverty, and could
not comprehend how I should have got so great a sum by my work, they
only laughed at me.
About six months after this my misfortune, which I have related to
your majesty, the two friends walking through that part of the town
where I lived, the neighbourhood put Saad in mind of me. We are now,
said he to Saadi, not far from the street where Hassan Alhabbal
lives; let us call and see what use he made of the two hundred
pieces of gold you gave him, and whether they have enabled him to
take any steps towards bettering his fortune.
With all my heart, replied Saadi; I have been thinking of him some
days, and it will be a great pleasure and satisfaction to me to have
you with me, as a witness of the proof of my proposal. You will see
a great alteration. I expect we shall hardly know him again.
Just as Saadi said this, these two friends turned the corner of the
street, and Saad, who perceived me first at a distance, said to his
friend, I believe you reckon without your host; I see Hassan
Alhabbal, but can discern no change in his person, for he is as
ill-dressed as when we saw him before; the only difference that I
can perceive is, his turban looks something better. Observe him
yourself, and see whether I am in the wrong.
As they drew nearer to me, Saadi saw me too, and found Saad was in
the right, but could not tell to what he should attribute the little
alteration he saw in my person; and was so much amazed, that he
could not speak when he came up to me. Well, Hassan, said Saad, we
do not ask you how affairs go since we saw you last; without doubt
they are in a better train.
Gentlemen, replied I, addressing myself to them both, I have the
great mortification to tell you, that your desires, wishes, and
hopes, as well as mine, have not had the success you had reason to
expect, and I promised myself; you will scarce believe the
extraordinary adventure that has befallen me. I assure you,
nevertheless, on the word of an honest man, and you ought to believe
me, for nothing is more true than what I am going to tell you. Then
I related to them my adventures, with the same circumstances I had
the honour to tell your majesty.
Saadi rejected my discourse, and said, Hassan, you joke with me, and
would deceive me; for what you say is a thing incredible. What have
kites to do with turbans? they only search for something to satisfy
their hunger. You have done as all such sort of people as you
generally do: if they have made any extraordinary gain, or any good
fortune happens to them, which they never expected, they throw aside
their work, take their pleasure, and make merry, while the money
lasts; and when they have eaten and drank it all out, are reduced to
the same necessity and want as before. You would not be so
miserable, but because you deserve it, and render yourself unworthy
of any good action done to you.
Sir, replied I, I bear all these reproaches, and am ready to bear as
many more, if they were more severe, and all with the more patience,
because I do not think I deserve them. The thing is so publicly
known in this part of the town, that there is nobody but can satisfy
you of the truth of it. If you inquire, you will find that I do not
impose upon you. I own, I never heard talk of kites flying away with
turbans; but this has actually happened to me, as a great many other
things, which do not fall out every day, and yet have actually
happened.
Saad took my part, and told Saadi a great many as surprising stories
of kites, some of which he affirmed he knew to be true, insomuch
that at last he pulled his purse out of his bosom, and counted out
two hundred pieces of gold into my hand, which I put into my bosom
for want of a purse.
When Saadi had told me out that sum, he said to me, Hassan, I make
you a present of these two hundred pieces; but take care to put them
in a safer place, that you may not lose them so unfortunately as you
have done the others, and employ them in such a manner that they may
procure you the advantages that the others would have done. I told
him that the obligation of this his second kindness was much greater
than I deserved, after what had happened, and that I should be sure
to make good use of his advice. I would have said a great deal more,
but he did not give me time, but went away, and continued his walk
with his friend.
As soon as they were gone, I left off work and went home, and
finding neither my wife nor children within, I pulled out my money,
put ten pieces by, and wrapt up the rest in a clean linen cloth,
tying it fast with a knot; but then I was to consider where I should
hide this linen cloth, that it might be safe. After I had considered
some time, I bethought of laying it at the bottom of a great earthen
vessel full of bran, which stood in a corner, where I imagined
neither my wife nor children would look into. My wife came home soon
after, and as I had but very little hemp in the house, I told her I
should go out to buy some, without saying any thing to her about the
two friends.
While I was out, a sand-man, who sells scouring sand, which women
use in baths, passed through our street, and called, Sand, ho! My
wife, who wanted some, called him: but as she had no money, she
asked him, if he would make an exchange of some sand for some bran.
The sand-man asked to see the bran. My wife showed him the pot; the
bargain was made; she had the scouring sand, with which she filled a
lean-to which I had made to the house, and the sand-man took the pot
and bran along with him.
Not long after, I came home, loaded with as much hemp as I could
carry, and followed by five porters loaded also with the same. After
I had satisfied them for their trouble, I sat down to rest myself;
and, looking about me, could not see the pot of bran.
It is impossible for me to express to your majesty my surprise, and
the effect it had on me at the moment. I asked my wife hastily what
was become of it: and she told me the bargain she had made with the
sand-man, which she thought to be a very good one.
Ah! unfortunate woman! cried I, you know not the injury you have
done me, yourself, and our children, by making that bargain, which
has ruined us quite. You thought only of selling the bran, but with
the bran you have enriched the sand-man with a hundred and ninety
pieces of gold, which Saadi with his friend came and made me a
second present of.
My wife was like one stark mad, when she knew what a fault she had
committed through ignorance. She cried, beat her breast, and tore
her hair and clothes. Unhappy wretch that I am, cried she, am I fit
to live after so horrid a mistake? Where shall I find this sand-man?
I know him not; I never saw him in our street before. Oh! husband,
added she, you was very much in the wrong to be so reserved in a
matter of such importance! This had never happened, if you had
communicated the secret to me. In short, I should never make an end
of my story, if I were to tell your majesty what her grief made her
say. You are not ignorant how eloquent women often are in their
afflictions.
Wife, said I, moderate your grief; by your weeping and howling you
will alarm all the neighbourhood, and there is no reason they should
be informed of our misfortunes. They will only laugh at us, instead
of pitying us. We had best bear our loss patiently, and submit
ourselves to the will of God, and bless him, for that out of two
hundred pieces of gold which he had given us, he has taken back but
one hundred and ninety, and left us ten, which, by the use I shall
make of them, will be a great relief to us.
My wife at first did not relish all these my arguments; but as time
softens the greatest misfortunes, and makes them more supportable,
she at last grew easy, and had almost forgotten them. It is true,
said I to her, we live but poorly; but what have the rich, which we
have not? Do not we breathe the same air, enjoy the same light, and
the same warmth of the sun? Therefore what conveniences have they
more than we, that we should envy their happiness? They die as well
as we. In short, while we live in the fear of God, as we should
always do, the advantage they have over us is so very
inconsiderable, that we ought not to regard it.
I will not tire your majesty any longer with my moral reflections.
My wife and I comforted ourselves, and I pursued my trade with as
much alacrity as before these two mortifying losses, which followed
one another so quickly. The only thing that troubled me sometimes
was, how I should look Saadi in the face when he should come and ask
me how much I had improved his two hundred pieces of gold, and
advanced my fortune by his liberality. I saw no remedy but to
resolve to submit to the confusion I should feel, though it was by
no fault of mine, this time, any more than before, that this
misfortune had happened.
The two friends stayed away longer this time than the former, though
Saad had often spoken to Saadi, who always put it off; for, said he,
the longer we stay away, the richer Hassan will be, and I shall have
the greater satisfaction.
Saad, who had not the same opinion of the effect of his friend’s
generosity, made answer, You fancy then that your present will have
been turned to a better account this time than before. I would
advise you not to flatter yourself too much, for fear you should be
more sensibly mortified if it should prove otherwise. Why, replied
Saadi, kites do not fly away with turbans every day; and Hassan will
be more cautious this time.
I do not doubt of it, replied Saad; but, added he, there are other
accidents that neither you nor I can think of; therefore, I say
again, moderate your joy, and do not depend too much on Hassan’s
good success; for to tell you what I think, and what I always
thought, (whether you like to hear it or not), I have a secret
foresight, that you will not have succeeded, and that I shall
succeed better than you in proving that a poor man may sooner become
rich by any other means than by money.
In short, one day, when Saad and Saadi were together, and were
disputing upon this subject, Saad observed that enough had been
said: I am resolved, said he, to inform myself this very day, what
has passed; it is time for walking; let us not lose it, but go see
which of us has lost the wager. I saw them at a distance, was
terribly concerned, and was just going to leave my work, and to run
and hide myself. However, I appeared very earnest at work, made as
if I had not seen them, and never lifted up my eyes till they were
close to me, and had saluted me, and then I could not help it I hung
down my head, and told them my last misfortune, with all the
circumstances, and that I was as poor as when they first saw me.
After that, I added, you may say that I ought to have hid my money
in another place than in a pot of bran, which was carried out of my
house that same day: but that pot had stood there many years, and
had never been removed, whenever my wife parted with the bran. Could
I guess that a sand-man should come by that very day, and my wife
would have no money, and would make such an exchange? You may indeed
allege, that I ought to have told my wife of it; but I will never
believe that such prudent persons, as I am persuaded you are, would
have given me that advice; and if I had put my money any where else,
what certainty could I have had that it would be more safe?
I see, sir, said I, addressing myself to Saadi, that it has pleased
God, whose ways are secret and impenetrable, that I should not be
enriched by your liberality, but that I must be poor; however, the
obligation is the same as if it had wrought the desired effect.
After these words, I was silent; and Saadi replied, Though I would
persuade myself, Hassan, that all you tell us is true, and not owing
to your debauchery or ill management, yet I must not be extravagant,
and ruin myself for the sake of an experiment. I do not regret in
the least the four hundred pieces of gold I gave you to raise you in
the world. I did it out of respect to God, without expecting any
recompense but the pleasure of doing good. If any thing makes me
repent, it is that I did not address myself to another, who might
have made a better use of my charity. Then turning about to his
friend, Saad, continued he, you may know by what I have said, that I
do not entirely give up the cause. You may now make your experiment,
and let me see, that there are ways, besides giving money, to make a
poor man’s fortune in the way we both mean. Let Hassan be the man.
I dare say, whatever you give him he will not be richer than he was
with four hundred pieces of gold. Saad had a piece of lead in his
hand, which he showed Saadi. You saw me, said he, take up this piece
of lead, which I found on the ground; I will give it to Hassan; and
you shall see what it is worth.
Saadi burst out a laughing at Saad. What is that bit of lead worth?
said he; a farthing? What can Hassan do with that? Saad presented it
to me, and said, Take it, Hassan: let Saadi laugh: you will tell us
some news of the good luck it has brought one time or another. I
thought Saad was in jest, and had a mind to divert himself; however,
I put the lead in my pocket, and thanked him. The two friends
pursued their walk, and I fell to work again.
At night, when I pulled off my clothes to go to bed, the piece of
lead, which I had never thought of from the time he gave it me,
tumbled out of my pocket. I took it up, and laid it on the first
place that was nearest to me. The same night it happened that a
fisherman, a neighbour, mending his nets, found a piece of lead
wanting; and it being too late to buy any, since the shops were shut
up, and he must either fish that night or his family go without
bread the next day, he called to his wife, and bid her inquire among
the neighbours for a piece. She went from door to door on both sides
of the street, but could not get any, and came back again to tell
her husband so. He asked her if she had been to several of their
neighbours, naming them, and among the rest Hassan Alhabbal’s
house. No, indeed, said the wife, I have not been there; that was
too far off, and if I had gone, do you think I should have found
any? I know by experience they never have any thing when one wants
it. No matter, said the fisherman; you are an idle hussy; you must
go there; for though you have been there a hundred times before,
without getting any thing, you may chance to get what we want now.
You must go.
The fisherman’s wife went out grumbling and growling, came and
knocked at my door, and waked me out of a sound sleep. I asked her
what she wanted. Hassan Alhabbal, said she, as loud as she could
bawl, my husband wants a bit of lead to mend his nets with; and if
you have a piece, desires you to give it him.
The piece of lead which Saad had given me was so fresh in my memory,
and had so lately dropt out of my clothes, that I could not forget
it. I told my neighbour I had some; and if she would stay a moment,
my wife should give her what she wanted. Accordingly, my wife, who
was wakened by the noise as well as myself, got up, and groping
about where I directed her, found the lead, opened the door, and
gave it to the fisherman’s wife, who was so overjoyed, that she
promised my wife, that for the kindness she did her and her husband,
she would answer for him we should have the first cast of the nets.
The fisherman was so much rejoiced to see the lead, which he so
little expected, that he very much approved his wife’s promise. He
finished mending his nets, and went a fishing two hours before day,
according to custom. At the first throw he caught but one fish,
about a yard long, and proportionable in thickness; and afterwards
had a great many successful casts; but of all the fish he took, none
came up in size equal to the first.
When the fisherman had done fishing, he went home, where his first
care was to think of me. I was extremely surprised, when at my work,
to see him come to me with a large fish in his hand. Neighbour, said
he, my wife promised you last night, in return for your kindness,
whatever fish I should catch at my first throw; and I approved her
promise. It pleased God to send me no more than this one for you,
which I desire you to accept of, such as it is. I wish it had been
better. Had he sent me my net full, they should all have been yours.
Neighbour, said I, the bit of lead which I sent you was such a
trifle, that it ought not to be valued at so high a rate; neighbours
should assist each other in their little wants. I have done no more
for you than I should have expected from you had I been in such a
case; therefore I would refuse your present, if I was not persuaded
you gave it me freely, and that I should offend you if I did so; and
since you will have it so, I take it, and I return you my hearty
thanks.
After these civilities, I took the fish, and carried it home to my
wife. Here, said I, take this fish, which the fisherman our
neighbour has made me a present of, in return for the little bit of
lead he sent to us for last night: I believe it is all that we can
expect from the present Saad made me yesterday, promising me that it
would bring me good luck; and then I told her what had passed
between the two friends.
My wife was very much startled to see so large a fish. What would
you have me do with it? said she. Our gridiron is only fit to broil
small fish; and we have not a pot big enough to boil it. That is
your business, answered I; dress it as you will, I shall like it
either way; and then I went to my work again.
In gutting the fish, my wife found a large diamond, which, when she
washed it, she took for a piece of glass: indeed she had heard talk
of diamonds, but if she had ever seen or handled one, she would not
have known how to distinguish them. She gave it to the youngest of
our children for a plaything, and his brothers and sisters handled
it about from one to another, to admire the brightness and beauty of
it.
At night when the lamp was lighted, and the children were still
playing with the diamond, they perceived that it gave a light, when
my wife, who was getting them their supper, stood between them and
the lamp; upon which they snatched it from one another to try it;
and the younger ones fell a crying, that the elder ones would not
let them have it long enough. But as a little matter amuses
children, and makes them squabble and fall out, my wife and I took
no notice of their noise, which presently ceased, when the bigger
ones supped with us, and my wife had given the younger each their
share.
After supper, the children got together again, and began to make the
same noise. Then I called to the eldest, to know what was the
matter, who told me that it was about a piece of glass, which gave a
light when his back was to the lamp. I bid him bring it to me, and
made the experiment myself; and it appeared so extraordinary to me,
that I asked my wife what it was. She told me it was a piece of
glass, which she found in gutting the fish.
I thought no more than she but that it was a bit of glass, but I was
resolved to make a farther experiment of it; and therefore bid my
wife to put the lamp in the chimney, which she did, and still found
that the supposed piece of glass gave so great a light, that we
might see to go to bed without the lamp. So I put it out, and placed
the bit of glass upon the chimney to light us. Look, said I, this is
another advantage that Saadi’s friend’s piece of lead procures
us: it will spare us the expense of oil.
When the children saw the lamp was put out, and the bit of glass
supplied its place, they cried out so loud, and made so great a
noise with astonishment, that it was enough to alarm the
neighbourhood; and before my wife and I could quiet them we were
forced to make a greater noise, nor could we silence them till we
had put them to bed; and after talking a long while in their way
about the wonderful light of a bit of glass, they fell asleep. After
they were in bed, my wife and I went to bed by them; and next
morning, without thinking any more of the glass, I went to my work
as usual; which ought not to seem strange for such a man as I, who
had never seen any diamonds, or, if I had, never attended to their
value.
But before I proceed, I must tell your majesty, that there was but a
very slight partition-wall between my house and my next
neighbour’s, who was a very rich Jew, and a jeweller; and the
chamber that he and his wife lay in joined to ours. They were both
in bed, and the noise my children made awakened them.
The next morning the jeweller’s wife came to mine to complain of
being disturbed out of their first sleep. Good neighbour Rachael,
which was the Jew’s wife’s name, said my wife, I am very sorry
for what happened, and hope you will excuse it; you know it was the
children, and they will laugh and cry for a trifle. Come in, and I
will show you what was the occasion of all the noise.
The Jewess went in with her, and my wife taking the diamond (for
such it really was, and a very extraordinary one) off the
chimney-piece, gave it into her hands. See here, said she; it was
this piece of glass that caused all the noise; and while the Jewess,
who understood all sorts of precious stones, was examining this
diamond with admiration, my wife had told her how she found it in
the fish’s belly, and what had happened.
Indeed, Aischach, which was my wife’s name, said the jeweller’s
wife, giving her the diamond again, I believe as you do, it is a
piece of glass; but as it is more beautiful than common glass, and I
have just such another piece at home, I will buy it, if you will
sell it.
The children, who heard them talking of selling their plaything,
presently interrupted their conversation, crying and begging their
mother not to part with it, who, to quiet them, promised she would
not.
The Jewess being thus prevented in her bargain by my children, went
away, but first whispering my wife (who followed her to the door),
if she had a mind to sell it, not to show it to any body without
acquainting her.
The Jew went out early in the morning to his shop in that part of
the town where the jewellers all resorted to. Thither his wife went
to him, and told him the discovery she had made. She gave him an
account of the size and weight of it as near as she could guess, and
of its beauty, water, and lustre, and particularly of the light
which it gave in the night according to my wife’s account, which
was the more credible as she was uninformed.
The Jew sent his wife immediately to treat, and to offer her a
trifle at first, as she should think fit, and then to raise her
price by degrees; but be sure to bring it, cost what it would.
Accordingly his wife came again to mine privately, and, without
supposing that she was determined to sell the diamond, asked her if
she would take twenty pieces of gold for that piece of glass.
My wife thinking the sum so considerable for a mere piece of glass,
as she thought it, would not make any bargain; but told her she
could not part with it, till she had spoken with me. In the mean
time I came from my work to dinner. As they were talking at the
door, my wife stopped me, and asked me, if I would sell the piece of
glass she had found in the fish’s belly for twenty pieces of gold
which our neighbour offered her. I returned no answer; but reflected
immediately on the assurance with which Saad, in giving me the piece
of lead, told me it would make my fortune. The Jew woman, fancying
that the low price she had offered was the reason I made no reply,
said, I will give you fifty, neighbour, if that will do.
As soon as I found that she rose presently from twenty to fifty, I
told her that I expected a great deal more. Well, neighbour, said
she, I will give you a hundred, and that is so much, I know not
whether my husband will bear me out. At this new advance, I told her
I would have a hundred thousand pieces of gold for it; that I saw
plainly that the diamond was worth a great deal more; but to oblige
her and her husband, as they were neighbours. I would limit myself
to that price, which I was determined to have; and if they refused
to give it, other jewellers should have it, who would give a great
deal more.
The Jewess confirmed me in this my resolution, by her eagerness to
conclude the bargain: and by coming up at several biddings to fifty
thousand pieces, which I refused. I can offer you no more, said she,
without my husband’s consent. He will be at home at night; and I
would beg the favour of you to let him see it, which I promised.
At night when the Jew came home, his wife told him what she had
done; that she had got no forwarder with my wife or me; that she
offered, and I refused, fifty thousand pieces of gold; and that I
had promised to stay till night at her request. He observed the time
when I left off work, and came to me. Neighbour Hassan, said he, I
desire you would show me the diamond your wife showed to mine. I
brought him in, and showed it him. As it was very dark, and my lamp
was not lighted, he knew presently, by the light the diamond gave,
and by the lustre it cast in my hand, that his wife had given him a
true account of it. He looked at and admired it a long time. Well,
neighbour, said he, my wife tells me she offered you fifty thousand
pieces of gold; I will give you twenty thousand more.
Neighbour, said I, your wife can tell you that I value my diamond at
a hundred thousand pieces, and I will take nothing less. He haggled
a long time with me, in hopes that I would make some abatement: but
finding at last that I was positive, and for fear that I should show
it to other jewellers, as I certainly should have done, he would not
leave me till the bargain was concluded on my own terms. He told me
that he had not so much money at home, but would pay it all to me by
that time to-morrow, and that very instant fetched two bags of a
thousand pieces each, as an earnest; and the next day, though I do
not know how he raised the money, whether he borrowed it of his
friends, or let some other jewellers into partnership with him, he
brought me the sum we agreed for, at the time appointed, and I
delivered to him the diamond.
Having thus sold my diamond, and being rich, infinitely beyond my
hopes, I thanked God for his bounty and liberality; and would have
gone and thrown myself at Saad’s feet to express my gratitude, if
I had known where he lived; as also at Saadi’s, to whom I was
first obliged, though his good intention had not the same success.
Afterwards I thought of the good use I should make of so
considerable a sum. My wife, with the vanity natural to her sex,
proposed immediately to buy rich clothes for her and her children;
and to purchase a house, and furnish it handsomely. I told her we
ought not to begin with such expenses; for, said I, money is made to
be spent, so as that it may produce a fund which we may draw from
without its failing. This I intend, and shall begin to-morrow.
I spent all that day and the next in going to the people of my own
trade, who worked as hard every day for their bread as I had done;
and giving them money beforehand, engaged them to work for me in
different sorts of rope-making, according to their skill and
ability, with a promise not to make them wait for their money, but
to pay them as soon as their work was done.
By this means I engrossed almost all the business of Bagdad, and
every body was pleased with my exactness and punctual payment.
As so great a number of workmen must produce a great deal of work, I
went and hired warehouses in several parts of the town to hold my
goods, and appointed over each a clerk, to sell both wholesale and
retail; and by this economy received a considerable profit and
income. Afterwards, to unite so many warehouses in one place, I
bought a large house, which stood upon a great deal of ground, but
was ruinous, pulled it down, and built that which your majesty saw
yesterday, which, though it makes so great an appearance, consists,
for the most part, of warehouses for my business, with apartments
just necessary for myself and family.
Some time after I had left my poor old habitation, and removed to
this new one, Saad, and Saadi, who had scarce thought of me from the
last time they had been with me, as they were one day walking
together, and passing by our street, resolved to call upon me: but
how great was their surprise when they did not see me at work, as
they used to find me! They asked what was become of me, and if I was
alive or dead? Their amazement was redoubled, when they were told I
was become a great merchant, and was no longer called plain Hassan,
but Cogia Hassan Alhabbal, which was to say, Merchant Hassan
Rope-maker, and that I had built in a street, which was named to
them, a house like a palace.
The two friends went directly to the street, and in the way, as
Saadi could not imagine that the bit of lead which Saad had given me
could have been the raising of my fortune, he said to him, I am
overjoyed to have made Hassan Alhabbal’s fortune: but I cannot
forgive the two lies he told me, to get four hundred pieces instead
of two: for I nor nobody else can attribute it to the piece of lead
you gave him.
So you think, replied Saad; but so do not I. I do not see why you
should do Cogia Hassan so much injustice as to take him for a liar.
You must give me leave to believe that he told us the truth, and
disguised nothing from us, and that the piece of lead which I gave
him is the cause of his prosperity; and you will find he will
presently tell us so.
In this discourse the two friends came into the street where I
lived, and asked whereabouts my house stood; and being showed it,
and considering the front, they had much ado to believe it.
They knocked at the door, and my porter opened it; and Saadi,
fearing to be guilty of rudeness in taking the house of a nobleman
for that he was inquiring after, said to the porter, We are informed
that this is Cogia Hassan Alhabbal’s house; tell us if we are not
mistaken. You are very right, sir, said the porter, opening the door
wider; it is the same: come in; he is in the hall, and any of the
slaves will point him out to you.
I had no sooner set my eyes upon the two friends, but I knew them. I
rose from my seat, ran to them, and would have kissed the hem of
their garments, but they would not suffer it, but embraced me. I
invited them to sit down on a sofa made to hold four persons, which
was placed full in view of my garden. I desired them to sit down,
and they would have me take the place of honour. I assured them that
I had not forgot that I was poor Hassan Alhabbal, nor the
obligations I had to them; but were this not the case, I knew the
respect due to them, and begged them not to expose me. They sat down
in the proper place, and I over-against them.
Then Saadi, addressing himself to me, said, Cogia Hassan, I cannot
express my joy to see you in the condition I wished you, when I
twice made you a present of two hundred pieces of gold, with which I
mean not to upbraid you; and I am persuaded that those four hundred
pieces have made this wonderful change in your fortune, which I see
with pleasure. One thing vexes me, which is, I cannot comprehend the
reason why you should twice disguise the truth from me, alleging
that your losses were the effect of misfortunes which still seem to
me incredible. Was it not because, when we were together the last
time, you had so little advanced your small income with each of the
two hundred pieces of gold, that you were ashamed to own it? I am
willing to believe this, and wait to be confirmed in my opinion.
Saad heard this discourse of Saadi’s with impatience, not to say
indignation, which he showed by casting down his eyes and shaking
his head: he did not however interrupt him. When he had done, he
said to him, Forgive me, Saadi, if I anticipate Cogia Hassan, before
he answers you, to tell you, that I admire your prepossessions
against his sincerity, and that you still persist in not believing
the assurances he has already given you. I have told you before, and
I repeat it to you once more, that I believe those two accidents
which befell him upon his bare relation; and whatever you may say, I
am persuaded they are true; but let him speak himself, and tell
which of us does him justice.
After this discourse of the two friends, I said, addressing myself
to them both, Gentlemen, I should condemn myself to perpetual
silence, on the explanation you ask of me, if I was not certain the
dispute you argue upon my account cannot break that friendship which
subsists between you; therefore I will declare to you the truth,
since you require it; and with the same sincerity as before. Then I
told them every circumstance, as your majesty has heard, without
forgetting the least.
All my protestations had no effect on Saadi, to cure him of his
prejudice. Cogia Hassan, replied Saadi, the adventure of the fish,
and diamond found in his belly, appears to me as incredible as the
kite’s flying away with your turban, and the exchange of the
scouring-sand. Be it as it will, I am equally convinced that you are
no longer poor, but rich as I intended you should be, by my means;
and I rejoice sincerely.
As it grew late, they got up to take their leaves; when I stopped
them, and said, Gentlemen, there is one favour I have to ask, and I
beg of you not to refuse to do me the honour to stay and take a
slight supper with me, and a bed to-night, and to-morrow I will
carry you by water to a small country-house, which I bought for the
sake of the air, and we will return the same day on my horses.
If Saad has no business that calls him elsewhere, said Saadi, I
consent. Saad told him that nothing should prevent his enjoying his
company. We have only to send a slave to my house, that we may not
be waited for. I provided a slave; and while they were giving their
orders, I went and ordered supper.
While it was getting ready, I shewed my benefactors my house and all
my offices, which they thought very extensive, considering my
fortune. I call them both benefactors, without distinction, because
without Saadi, Saad would never have given me the piece of lead; and
without Saad, Saadi would not have given me the four hundred pieces
of gold, to which I attribute the rise of my good fortune. Then I
brought them back again into the hall, where they asked me several
questions about my business; and I gave them such answers as
satisfied them.
During this discourse, my servants came to tell me that supper was
served up. I led them into another hall, where they admired the
manner in which it was lighted, the beaufet, and the entertainment I
had provided. I regaled them also with a concert of vocal and
instrumental music during the repast, and afterwards with a company
of dancers, and other entertainments, endeavouring to show them as
much as possible my gratitude.
The next morning, as we had agreed to set out early to enjoy the
fresh air, we repaired to the river side by sunrise, and went on
board a pleasure-boat well carpeted, that waited for us; and in less
than an hour and a half, with six good rowers, and the stream, we
arrived at my country-house.
When we went ashore, the two friends stopt to observe the beauty of
the outside of my house, and to admire its advantageous situation
for the prospects, which were neither too much limited nor too
extensive, but such as made it very agreeable. Then I carried them
into all the apartments, and showed them all the out-houses and
conveniencies; with all which they were very well pleased.
Afterwards we walked in the gardens, where what they were most taken
with was a grove of orange and lemon trees, loaded with fruit and
flowers, which were planted at equal distances, and watered by a
canal of fresh water, which was cut from a pleasant river just by.
The close shade, the fragrant smell which perfumed the air, the soft
murmurings of the water, the harmonious notes of an infinite number
of birds, and many other agreeable circumstances, struck them in
such a manner, that they frequently stopt to express how much they
were obliged to me for bringing them to so delightful a place, and
to congratulate me upon my great acquisitions, with other
compliments. I led them to the end of that grove, which was very
long and broad, where I showed them a wood of large trees which
terminated my garden, and afterwards a summer-house, open on all
sides, shaded with a cluster of palm-trees, but not so as to spoil
the prospect; then I invited them to walk in, and repose themselves
on a sofa covered with carpets and cushions.
Two of my boys, whom I had sent into the country, with a tutor, for
the air, left us, to go into the wood bird-nesting; and seeing a
nest which was built in the branches of a great tree, they attempted
to get at it; but as they had neither strength nor address to
accomplish it, they showed it to the slave who waited on them, and
never left them, and bid him climb the tree for it; who, when he
came to it, was very much surprised to find it built in a turban.
However, he took it, and brought it down with him, and showed it to
my children; and as he thought that I might like to see a thing that
was so uncommon, he gave it to the eldest boy to bring to me.
I saw the children at a distance, coming back to us, overjoyed to
have gotten a nest. Father, said the eldest lad, we have found a
nest in a turban. The two friends and I were very much surprised at
the novelty; but I much more, when I knew the turban to be that
which the kite flew away with. After I had examined it well, and
turned it about, I said to my guests, Gentlemen, have you memories
good enough to remember the turban I had on the day you did me the
honour first to speak to me? I do not think, said Saad, that either
my friend or I gave any attention to it; but if the hundred and
ninety pieces of gold are in it, we cannot doubt of it.
Sir, replied I, there is no doubt but it is the same turban; for,
besides that I know it very well, I feel by the weight it is too
heavy to be any other, and you will perceive this, if you give
yourself the trouble to take it in your hand. Then, after taking out
the birds, and giving them to the children, I put it into his hands,
and he gave it to Saadi. --Indeed, said Saadi, I believe it to be
your turban, which I shall be better convinced of when I see the
hundred and ninety pieces of gold.
Now, sir, added I, taking the turban, again, observe very well,
before I touch it, that it is of no very fresh date in the tree; and
the state in which you see it, and the nest so neatly made in it,
without having been touched by the hand of man, are sufficient
proofs that the kite dropt or laid it in the tree ever since that
day he took it from off my head, and the branches hindered it from
falling to the ground. Excuse my making this remark, since it
concerns me so much to remove all suspicions of fraud on my part.
Saad backed me in what I urged, and said, Saadi, this regards you
and not me, for I am verily persuaded that Cogia Hassan does not
impose upon us.
While Saad was talking, I pulled off the linen cloth which was
wrapped about the cap of the turban, and took out the purse, which
Saadi knew to be the same he gave me. I emptied it on the carpet
before them, and said, There, gentlemen, there is the money; count
it, and see if it be right. Which Saad did, and found it to be a
hundred and ninety pieces of gold. Then Saadi, who could not deny so
manifest a truth, addressing himself to me, said, I agree, Cogia
Hassan, that this money could not serve to enrich you; but the other
hundred and ninety pieces, which you would make me believe you hid
in a pot of bran, might. Sir, answered I, I have told you the truth
in regard to both sums: you would not have me retract, to make
myself a liar.
Cogia Hassan, said Saad, leave Saadi to his own opinion; I consent
with all my heart that he believes you are obliged to him for one
part of your good fortune, by means of the last sum he gave you,
provided he will agree that I contributed to the other half by the
bit of lead, and will not pretend to dispute the valuable diamond
found in the fish’s belly. I agree to it, answered Saadi; but
still you must give me liberty to believe that money is not to be
amassed without money.
What, replied Saad, if chance should throw a diamond in my way worth
fifty thousand pieces of gold, and I should have that sum given me
for it, can it be said I got that sum by money?
They disputed no farther then; but we rose up, and went into the
house, just as dinner was ready. After dinner, I left my guests
together, to pass away the heat of the day more at their liberty and
with greater composure, while I went to give orders to my
housekeeper and gardener. Afterwards I went to them again, and we
talked of indifferent matters till it grew a little cooler; when we
returned into the garden for fresh air, and stayed till sun-set.
Then we all mounted on horseback, and got to Bagdad by moonlight two
hours after, followed by one of my slaves.
It happened by I know not what negligence of my servants, that we
were then out of oats, and the storehouses were all shut up; when
one of my slaves, seeking about the neighbourhood for some, met with
a pot of bran in a shop, bought the bran, and brought the pot along
with him, promising to carry it back again the next day. The slave
emptied the bran into the manger, and, dividing it with his hands
among the horses, felt a linen cloth tied up, and very heavy: he
brought the cloth to me in the condition that he found it, and
presented it to me, telling me that it might perhaps be the cloth he
had often heard me talk of among my friends.
Overjoyed, I said to my two benefactors, Gentlemen, it has pleased
God that you should not part from me before you were fully convinced
of the truth of what I have assured you. There are the other hundred
and ninety pieces of gold which you gave me, continued I, addressing
myself to Saadi; I know it very well by the cloth, which I tied up
with my own hands; and then I told out the money before them. I
ordered the pot presently to be brought to me, and knew it to be the
same; and sent to my wife to ask if she recognised it, ordering them
to say nothing to her of what had happened. She knew it immediately,
and sent me word that it was the same vase she had exchanged full of
bran for the scouring-earth.
Saadi readily submitted, and renounced his incredulity; and said to
Saad, I yield to you, and acknowledge that money is not always the
means of becoming rich.
When Saadi had done, I said to him, I dare not propose to return you
the three hundred and eighty pieces of gold which it hath pleased
God should be found, to undeceive you as to the opinion of my
honesty. I am persuaded that you did not give them to me with an
intention that I should return them; and, for my part, I ought to be
very well content with what Providence has sent me from other
quarters, and I do not design to make use of them; but, if you
approve of it, to-morrow I will give them to the poor, that God may
bless us both.
The two friends lay at my hours that night also; and next day, after
embracing me, went to their own houses, very well pleased with the
reception I had given them, and to find I did not make an ill use of
the riches Heaven had blessed me with. I thanked them both, and look
upon the leave they gave me to cultivate a friendship with them, and
to visit them, as a great honour.
The caliph Haroun Alraschid was so attentive to Cogia Hassan’s
story, that he had not perceived the end of it but by his silence.
Cogia Hassan, said he, I have not for a long time heard any thing
that has given me so much pleasure, to see the wonderful ways by
which God gave thee thy riches, to make thee happy in this world.
Thou oughtest to continue to return him thanks, by the good use thou
makest of his blessings. I am glad I can tell thee, that the same
diamond which made thy fortune is now in my treasury; and, for my
part, I am happy to know how it came there: but because there may
remain in Saadi some doubts on the singularity of this diamond,
which I look upon to be the most precious and valuable thing I am
master of, I would have you carry him with Saad to my treasurer, who
shall show it them, to remove Saadi’s unbelief, and to let him see
that money is not the only certain means of making a poor man rich
in a short time, without taking a great deal of pains. I would also
have you to tell the keeper of my treasury this story, that he may
get it put into writing, and that it may be kept with the diamond.
After these words, the caliph signified to Cogia Hassan, Sidi
Nonman, and Baba Abdalla, by bowing of his head, that he was
satisfied with them; who all took their leaves, by prostrating
themselves at the throne, and then retired.
The Story of Ali Baba and the Forty Robbers, destroyed by a Slave.
In a town in Persia, there lived two brothers, one named Cassim, the
other Ali Baba. Their father left them no great property; but as he
had divided it equally between them, it should seem their fortune
would have been equal; but chance directed otherwise.
Cassim married a wife, who, soon after their marriage, became
heiress to a plentiful estate, and a good shop and warehouse full of
rich merchandizes; so that he all at once became one of the richest
and most considerable merchants, and lived at his ease.
Ali Baba, on the other hand, who married a woman as poor as himself,
lived in a very mean habitation, and had no other means to maintain
his wife and children but his daily labour, by cutting of wood in a
forest near the town, and bringing it upon three asses, which were
his whole substance, to town to sell.
One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, and had just cut wood
enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a great cloud of
dust, which seemed to approach towards him. He observed it very
attentively, and distinguished a large body of horse coming briskly
on; and though they did not talk of robbers in that country, Ali
Baba began to think that they might prove so; and, without
considering what might become of his asses, he was resolved to save
himself. He climbed up a large thick tree, whose branches, at a
little distance from the ground, divided in a circular form so close
to one another, that there was but little space between them. He
placed himself in the middle, from whence he could see all that
passed without been seen; and this tree stood at the bottom of a
single rock, which was very high above it; and so steep and craggy,
that nobody could climb up it.
This troop, who were all well mounted, and well armed, came to the
foot of this rock, and there dismounted. Ali Baba counted forty of
them, and, by their looks and equipage, never doubted they were
thieves. Nor was he mistaken in his opinion; for they were a troop
of banditti, who, without doing any hurt to the neighbourhood,
robbed at a distance, and made that place their rendezvous; and what
confirmed him in this opinion was, every man unbridled his horse,
and tied him to some shrub or other, and hung about his neck a bag
of corn, which they brought behind them. Then each of them took his
portmanteau, which seemed to Ali Baba to be full of gold and silver
by their weight. One, who was most personable amongst them, and whom
he took to be their captain, came with his portmanteau on his back
under the tree in which Ali Baba was hid, and making his way through
some shrubs, pronounced these words so distinctly, _Open, Sesame_,
[100] that Ali Baba heard him. As soon as the captain of the robbers
had uttered these words, a door opened; and after he had made all
his troop go in before him, he followed them, and the door shut
again of itself.
The robbers stayed some time within the rock; and Ali Baba, who
feared that some one, or all of them together, should come out and
catch him, if he should endeavour to make his escape, was obliged to
sit patiently in the tree. He was, nevertheless, tempted once or
twice to get down, and mount one of their horses, and lead another,
driving his asses before him with all the haste he could to town;
but the uncertainty of the event made him choose the safest way.
At last the door opened again, and the forty robbers came out. As
the captain went in last, he came out first, and stood to see them
all pass by him; and then Ali Baba heard him make the door close, by
pronouncing these words, _Shut, Sesame_. Every man went and bridled
his horse, fastening his portmanteau, and mounting again; and when
the captain saw them all ready, he put himself at their head, and
they returned the same way they came.
Ali Baba did not immediately quit his tree; for said he to himself,
they may have forgotten something and come back again, and then I
shall be taken. He followed them with his eyes as far as he could
see them; and after that stayed a considerable time before he came
down; remembering the words the captain of the robbers made use of
to cause the door to open and shut, he had the curiosity to try if
his pronouncing it would have the same effect. Accordingly he went
among the shrubs, and perceiving the door concealed behind them, he
stood before it, and said, _Open, Sesame_. The door instantly flew
wide open.
Ali Baba, who expected a dark dismal place, was very much surprised
to see it well lighted and spacious, cut out by men’s hands in
form of a vault, which received the light from an opening at the top
of the rock, cut in like manner. He saw all sorts of provisions, and
rich bales of merchandizes, of silk, stuff, brocade, and valuable
carpeting, piled upon one another; and, above all, gold and silver
in great heaps, and money in great leather purses. The sight of all
these riches made him believe that this cave had been occupied for
ages by robbers, who succeeded one another.
Ali Baba did not stand long to consider what he should do, but went
immediately into the cave, and as noon as he was in, the door shut
again. But this did not disturb him, because he knew the secret to
open it again. He never regarded the silver, but made the best use
of his time in carrying out as much of the gold coin, which was in
bags, at several times, as he thought his three asses could carry.
When he had done, he collected his asses, which were dispersed, and
when he had loaded them with the bags, laid the wood on them in such
a manner that they could not be seen. When he had done, he stood
before the door, and pronouncing the words, _Shut, Sesame_, the door
closed after him, for it had shut of itself while he was within, and
remained open while he was out. He then made the best of his way to
town.
When Ali Baba got home, he drove his asses into a little yard, and
shut the gates very carefully, threw off the wood that covered the
bags, and carried them into his house, and ranged them in order
before his wife, who sat on a sofa.
His wife handled the bags, and finding them full of money, suspected
that her husband had been robbing, insomuch that when he had brought
them all in, she could not help saying, Ali Baba, have you been so
unhappy as to --Be quiet, wife, interrupted Ali Baba; do not
frighten yourself: I am no robber, unless he can be one who steals
from robbers. You will no longer entertain an ill opinion of me,
when I shall tell you my good fortune. Then he emptied the bags,
which raised such a great heap of gold as dazzled his wife’s eyes:
and when he had done, he told her the whole adventure from the
beginning to the end; and, above all, recommended it to her to keep
it secret.
The wife, recovered and cured of her fears, rejoiced with her
husband at their good luck, and would count the money piece by
piece. Wife, replied Ali Baba, you do not know what you undertake,
when you pretend to count the money; you will never have done. I
will go and dig a hole and bury it; there is no time to be lost. You
are in the right of it, husband, replied the wife; but let us know,
as nigh as possible, how much we have. I will go and borrow a small
measure in the neighbourhood and measure it, while you dig the hole.
What you are going to do is to no purpose, wife, said Ali Baba; if
you would take my advice, you had better let it alone; but be sure
to keep the secret, and do what you please.
Away the wife ran to her brother-in-law Cassim, who lived just by,
but was 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 her whether she would have a great or a small
one. The other asked for a small one. She bid her stay a little, and
she would readily fetch one.
The sister-in-law did so, but as she knew very well Ali Baba’s
poverty, she was curious to know what sort of grain his wife wanted
to measure, and bethought herself of artfully putting some suet at
the bottom of the measure, and brought it to her with an excuse,
that she was sorry that she had made her stay so long, but that she
could not find it sooner.
Ali Baba’s wife went home, set the measure upon the heap of gold,
and filled it and emptied it often, at a small distance upon the
sofa, till she had done: and 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 was burying the gold, his wife, to shew her exactness and
diligence to her sister-in-law, carried the measure back again, but
without taking notice that a piece of gold stuck at the bottom.
Sister, said she, giving it to her again, you see that I have not
kept your measure long: I am obliged to you for it, and return it
with thanks.
[Illustration: ALI BABA DISPLAYING HIS TREASURE.]
As soon as Ali Baba’s wife’s back was turned, Cassim’s wife
looked at the bottom of the measure, and was in an inexpressible
surprise to find a piece of gold stuck to it. Envy immediately
possessed her breast. What! said she, has Ali Baba gold so plentiful
as to measure it? Where has that poor wretch got all this gold?
Cassim, her husband, was not at home, as I said before, but at his
shop, which he left always in the evening. His wife waited for him,
and thought the time an age; so great was her impatience to tell him
the news, at which he would be as much surprised.
When Cassim came home, his wife said to him, Cassim, I warrant you,
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 desired her to explain the riddle, which she
did, by telling him the stratagem she had made use of to make the
discovery, and showed him the piece of money, which was so old a
coin that they could not tell in what prince’s reign it was coined.
Cassim, instead of being pleased at his brother’s prosperity,
conceived a mortal jealousy, and could not sleep all that night for
it, but went to him in the morning before sunrise. Now Cassim, after
he married the rich widow, never treated Ali Baba as a brother, but
forgot him. Ali Baba, said he, accosting him, you 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, added he, have you? My wife found this at the bottom
of the measure you borrowed yesterday.
By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his wife,
through his own wife’s folly, knew what they had so much reason to
keep secret; but what was done could not be recalled; therefore,
without showing the least surprise or trouble, he confessed all, and
told his brother by what chance he had discovered this retreat of
the thieves, and 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 will know exactly where this treasure is, and the
signs and tokens how I may go to it myself when I have a mind;
otherwise I will go and inform against you, and then you will not
only get no more, but will lose all that you have got, and I shall
have my share for my information.
Ali Baba, more out of his natural good temper, than frightened by
the insulting menaces of a barbarous brother, told him all he
desired, and even the very words he was to make use of to go into
the cave, and to come out again.
Cassim, who wanted no more of Ali Baba, left him, resolving to be
beforehand with him, and hoping to get all the treasure to himself.
He rose early the next morning, a long time before the sun, and set
out with ten mules loaded with great chests, which he designed to
fill: proposing to carry many more the next time, according to the
riches he found; and followed the road which Ali Baba had told him.
He was not long before he came to the rock, and found out the place
by the tree, and other marks his brother had given him. When he came
to the door, he pronounced these words, _Open, Sesame_, and it
opened; and when he was in, shut again. In examining the cave, he
was in great admiration to find much more riches than he apprehended
by Ali Baba’s relation. He was so covetous and fond of riches,
that he could have spent the whole day in feasting his eyes with so
much treasure, if the thoughts that he came to carry some away with
him, and loading his mules, had not hindered him. He laid as many
bags of gold as he could carry away at the door, and coming at last
to open the door, his thoughts were so full of the great riches he
should possess, that he could not think of the necessary word; but
instead of _Sesame_, said, _Open, Barley_, and was very much amazed
to find that the door did not open, but remained fast shut. He named
several sorts of grain, all but the right, and the door would not
open.
Cassim never expected such an accident, and was so frightened at the
danger he was in, that the more he endeavoured to remember the word
_Sesame_, the more his memory was confounded, and he had as much
forgotten it as if he had never heard it in his life before. He
threw down the bags he had loaded himself with, and walked hastily
up and down the cave, without having the least regard to all the
riches that were round him. In this miserable condition we will
leave him, bewailing his fate, and undeserving of pity.
About noon the robbers returned to their cave, and at some distance
from it saw Cassim’s mules straggling about the rock, with great
chests on their backs. Alarmed at this novelty they gallopped full
speed to the cave. They drove away the mules, which Cassim had
neglected to fasten, and they strayed away through the forest so
far, that they were soon out of sight. The robbers never gave
themselves the trouble to pursue the mules: they were more concerned
to know who they belonged to. And while some of them searched about
the rock, the captain and the rest went directly to the door, with
their naked sabres in their hands, and pronouncing the words, it
opened.
Cassim, who heard the noise of the horses’ feet from the middle of
the cave, never doubted of the coming of the robbers, and his
approaching death; but was resolved to make one effort to escape
from them. To this end he stood ready at the door, and no sooner
heard the word _Sesame_, which he had forgotten, and saw the door
open, but he jumped briskly out, and threw the captain down, but
could not escape the other robbers, who with their sabres soon
deprived him of life.
The first care of the robbers after this was to go into the cave.
They found all the bags which Cassim had brought to the door, to be
more ready to load his mules with, and carried them all back again
to their places, without perceiving what Ali Baba had taken away
before. Then holding a council, and deliberating upon this matter,
they guessed that Cassim, when he was in, could not get out again;
but they could not imagine how he got in. It came into their heads
that he might have got down by the top of the cave; but the opening
by which it received light was so high, and the top of the rock so
inaccessible without, besides that nothing showed that he had done
so, that they believed it impracticable for them to find out. That
he came in at the door they could not satisfy themselves, unless he
had the secret of making it open. In short, none of them could
imagine which way he entered; for they were all persuaded that
nobody knew their secret, little imagining that Ali Baba had watched
them. But, however it happened, it was a matter of the greatest
importance to them to secure their riches. They agreed therefore to
cut Cassim’s body into four quarters, and to hang two on one side,
and two on the other, within the door of the cave, to terrify any
person that should attempt the same thing, determining not to return
to the cave till the stench of the body was completely exhaled. They
had no sooner taken this resolution, but they executed it; and when
they had nothing more to detain them, they left the place of their
retreat well closed. They mounted their horses, and went to beat the
roads again, and to attack the caravans they should meet.
In the mean time Cassim’s wife was very uneasy when night came,
and her husband was not returned. She ran to Ali Baba in a terrible
fright, and said, I believe, brother-in-law, that you know that
Cassim, your brother, is gone to the forest, and upon what account:
it is now night, and he is not returned: I am afraid some misfortune
has come to him. Ali Baba, who never disputed but that his brother,
after what he had said to him, would go to the forest, declined
going himself that day, for fear of 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 did not think it proper to come into the town till
the night should be pretty far advanced.
Cassim’s wife, considering how much it concerned her husband to
keep this thing secret, was the more easily persuaded to believe
him. She went home again, and waited patiently till midnight. Then
her fears redoubled with grief the more sensible, because she durst
not vent it, nor show it, but was forced to keep it secret from the
neighbourhood. Then, as if her fault had been irreparable, she
repented of her foolish curiosity, and cursed her desire of
penetrating into the affairs of her brother and sister-in-law. She
spent all that 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 desire him to go and
see what was become of Cassim, but went immediately with his three
asses, begging of her first to moderate her affliction. He went to
the forest, and when he came near the rock, and having seen neither
his brother nor his mules in his way, he was very much surprised to
see some blood spilt by the door, which he took for an ill omen; but
when he had pronounced the word, and the door opened, he was much
more startled at the dismal sight of his brother’s quarters. He
was not long in determining how he should pay the last dues to his
brother, and without remembering the little brotherly friendship he
had for him, went into the cave, to find something to wrap them in,
and loaded one of his asses with them, and covered them over with
wood. The other two asses he loaded with bags of gold, covering them
with wood also 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 asses 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.
Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened by Morgiana, a
cunning, intelligent slave, fruitful in inventions to ensure success
in the most difficult undertakings: and Ali Baba knew her to be
such. When he came into the court, he unloaded the ass, and taking
Morgiana aside, said to her, The first thing I ask of you is an
inviolable secrecy, which you will find is necessary both for your
mistress’s sake and mine. Your master’s body is contained in
these two bundles, and our business is, to bury him as if he died a
natural death. Go tell your mistress I want to speak with her, and
mind what I say to you.
Morgiana went to her mistress, and Ali Baba followed her. Well,
brother, said she, with great impatience, what news do you bring me
of my husband? I perceive no comfort in your countenance. Sister,
answered Ali Baba, I cannot tell you any thing before you hear my
story from the beginning to the end, without speaking a word; for it
is of as great importance to you as to me to keep what has happened
secret. Alas! said she, this preamble lets me know that my husband
is dead; but at the same time I know the necessity of the secrecy
you require of me, and I must constrain myself: say on; I will hear
you.
Then Ali Baba told his sister the success of his journey, till he
came to the finding of Cassim’s body. Now, said he, sister, I have
something to tell you, which will afflict you much the more, because
it is what you so little expect; but it cannot now be remedied; and
if any thing can comfort you, I offer to put that little which God
hath sent me, to what you have, and marry you; assuring you that my
wife will not be jealous, and that we shall live happily together.
If this proposal is agreeable to you, we must think of acting so, as
that my brother should appear to have died a natural death. I think
you may leave the management of it to Morgiana, and I will
contribute all that lies in my power.
What could Cassim’s widow do better than accept of this proposal?
For though her first husband had left behind him plentiful
substance, this second was much richer, and by the discovery of this
treasure might be much more so. Instead of rejecting the offer, she
looked upon it as a reasonable motive to comfort her; and drying up
her tears, which began to flow abundantly, and suppressing the
outcries usual with women who have lost their husbands, showed Ali
Baba she approved of his proposal. Ali Baba left the widow, and
recommended to Morgiana to act her part well, and then returned home
with his ass.
Morgiana went out at the same time to an apothecary, and asked him
for a sort of lozenges, which he prepared, and were very efficacious
in the most dangerous distempers. The apothecary asked her who was
sick at her master’s. She replied with a sigh, Her good master
Cassim himself: that they knew not what his distemper was, but that
he could neither eat nor speak. After these words Morgiana carried
the lozenges home with her, and the next morning went to the same
apothecary’s again, and, with tears in her eyes, asked for an
essence which they used to give to sick people only when at the last
extremity. Alas! said she, taking it from the apothecary, I am
afraid that this remedy will have no better effect than the
lozenges, and that I shall lose my good master.
On the other hand, as Ali Baba and his wife were often seen to go
between Cassim’s and their own house all that day, and to seem
melancholy, nobody was surprised in the evening to hear the
lamentable shrieks and cries of Cassim’s wife and Morgiana, who
told it every where that her master was dead.
The next morning, soon after day appeared, Morgiana, who knew a
certain old cobbler that opened his stall early, before other
people, went to him, and bidding him good-morrow, put a piece of
gold into his hand. Well, said Baba Mustapha, which was his name,
and who was a merry old fellow, looking on the gold, though it was
hardly day-light, and seeing what it was, this is good hansel: what
must I do for it? I am ready.
Baba Mustapha, said Morgiana, you must take with you your sewing
tackle, and go with me; but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you
when you come to such a place.
Baba Mustapha seemed to boggle a little at these words. Oh, ho!
replied he, you would have me do something against my conscience, or
against my honour. God forbid! said Morgiana, putting another piece
of gold into his hand, that I should ask any thing that is contrary
to your honour; only come along with me, and fear nothing.
Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, who, after she had bound his eyes
with a handkerchief, at the place she told him of, carried him to
her deceased master’s house, and never unloosed his eyes till he
came into the room where she had put the corpse together. Baba
Mustapha, said she, you must make haste, and sew these quarters
together; and when you have done, I will give you another piece of
gold.
After Baba Mustapha had done, she blindfolded him again, and gave
him the third piece of gold, as she promised, recommending secrecy
to him, carried him back to the place where she first bound his
eyes, pulled off the bandage, and let him go home, but watched him
that he returned to his stall, till he was quite out of sight, for
fear he should have the curiosity to return and dodge her, and then
went home.
By the time Morgiana had warmed some water to wash the body, Ali
Baba came with incense to embalm it, and bury it with the usual
ceremonies. Not long after, the joiner, according to Ali Baba’s
orders, brought the coffin, which Morgiana, that he might find out
nothing, received at the door, and helped Ali Baba to put the body
into it; and as soon as he had nailed it up, she went to the mosque
to tell the iman that they were ready. The people of the mosque,
whose business it was to wash the dead, offered to perform their
duty, but she told them it was done already.
Morgiana had scarce got home before the iman and the other ministers
of the mosque came. Four neighbours carried the corpse on their
shoulders to the burying-ground, following the iman, who recited
some prayers. Morgiana, as a slave to the deceased, followed the
corpse, weeping, beating her breast, and tearing her hair; and Ali
Baba came after with some neighbours, who often relieved the others
in carrying the corpse to the burying ground.
Cassim’s wife stayed at home mourning, uttering lamentable cries
with the women of the neighbourhood, who came according to custom
during the funeral, and, joining their lamentations with hers,
filled the quarter far and near with sorrow.
In this manner Cassim’s melancholy death was concealed and hushed
up between Ali Baba, his wife, Cassim’s widow, and Morgiana, with
so much contrivance that nobody in the city had the least knowledge
or suspicion of it.
Three or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba removed his few goods
to his brother’s widow’s house; but the money he had taken from
the robbers he conveyed thither by night; and soon after the
marriage with his sister-in-law was published, and as these
marriages are common in our religion, nobody was surprised.
As for Cassim’s shop, Ali Baba gave it to his own eldest son, who
had been some time out of his apprenticeship to a great merchant,
promising him withal, that if he managed well, he would soon give
him a fortune to marry very advantageously according to his
situation.
Let us now leave Ali Baba to enjoy the beginning of his good
fortune, and return to the forty robbers.
They came again at the appointed time to visit their retreat in the
forest; but how great was their surprise to find Cassim’s body
taken away, and some of their bags of gold. We are certainly
discovered, said the captain, and shall be undone, if we do not take
care and speedily apply some remedy; otherwise we shall insensibly
lose all the riches which our ancestors have been so many years
amassing together with so much pains and danger. All that we can
think of this loss which we have sustained is, that the thief whom
we have surprised had the secret of opening the door, and we came
luckily as he was coming out: but his body being removed, and with
it some of our money, plainly shows, that he has an accomplice; and
as it is likely that there were but two who had got this secret, and
one has been caught, we must look narrowly after the other. What say
you to it, my lads?
All the robbers thought the captain’s proposal so reasonable, that
they unanimously approved of it, and agreed that they must lay all
other enterprises aside, to follow this closely, and not give it up
till they had succeeded.
I expected no less, said the captain, from your courage and bravery:
but, first of all, one of you who is bold, artful, and enterprising,
must go into the town dressed like a traveller and stranger, and
exert all his contrivance to try if he can hear any talk of the
strange death of the man whom we have killed, as he deserved, and to
endeavour to find out who he was, and where he lived. This is a
matter of the first importance for us to know, that we may do
nothing which we may have reason to repent of, by discovering
ourselves in a country where we have lived so long unknown, and
where we have so much reason to continue; but to warn that man who
shall take upon himself this commission, and to prevent our being
deceived by his giving us a false report, which may be the cause of
our ruin, I ask you all, if you do not think it fit, that in that
case he shall submit to suffer death?
Without waiting for the suffrages of his companions, one of the
robbers started up, and said, I submit to this law, and think it an
honour to expose my life, by taking such a commission upon me; but
remember, at least, if I do not succeed, that I neither wanted
courage nor good-will to serve the troop.
After this robber had received great commendations from the captain
and his comrades, he disguised himself so that nobody would take him
for what he was; and taking his leave of the troop that night, went
into the town just at day-break; and walked up and down till he came
to Baba Mustapha’s stall, which was always open before any of the
shops of the town.
Baba Mustapha was set on his seat with an awl in his hand, just
going to work. The robber saluted him, bidding him good-morrow; and
perceiving that he was very old, he said, Honest man, you begin to
work very early: is it possible that any one of your age can see so
well? I question, if it was somewhat lighter, whether you could see
to stitch.
Certainly, replied Baba Mustapha, you must be a stranger, and do not
know me; for, old as I am, I have extraordinary good eyes; and you
will not doubt it when I tell you, that I sewed a dead body together
in a place where I had not so much light as I have now.
The robber was overjoyed to think that he addressed himself, at his
first coming into the town, to a man who gave him the intelligence
he wanted, without asking him. A dead body! replied he with
amazement, to make him explain himself. What could you sew up a dead
body for? added he: you mean, you sewed up his winding-sheet. No,
no, answered Baba Mustapha, I know what I say; you want to have me
speak out, but you shall know no more.
The robber wanted no greater insight to be persuaded that he had
discovered what he came about. He pulled out a piece of gold, and
putting it into Baba Mustapha’s hand, said to him, I do not want
to know your secret, though I can assure you I would not divulge it,
if you trusted me with it. The only thing which I desire of you, is
to do me the favour to show the house where you stitched up the dead
body.
If I would do you that favour which you ask of me, replied Baba
Mustapha, holding the money in his hand, ready to return it, I
assure you I cannot: and you may believe me, on my word, I was
carried to a certain place, where they first blinded me, and then
led me to the house, and brought me back again after the same
manner; therefore you see the impossibility of doing what you desire.
Well, replied the robber, you may remember a little of the way that
you was led blindfolded. Come, let me blind your eyes at the same
place. We will walk together by the same way and turnings; perhaps
you may remember some part; and as every body ought to be paid for
their trouble, there is another piece of gold for you; gratify me in
what I ask you. So saying, he put another piece of gold into his
hand.
The two pieces of gold were great temptations to Baba Mustapha. He
looked at them a long time in his hand, without saying a word,
thinking with himself what he should do; but at last he pulled out
his purse, and put them in. I cannot assure you, said he to the
robber, that I remember the way exactly; but, since you desire it, I
will try what I can do. At these words Baba Mustapha rose up, to the
great satisfaction of the robber, and without shutting up his shop,
where he had nothing valuable to lose, he led the robber to the
place where Morgiana bound his eyes. It was here, said Baba
Mustapha, I was blindfolded; and I turned as you see me. The robber,
who had his handkerchief ready, tied it over his eyes, and walked by
him till he stopped, partly leading him, and partly guided by him. I
think, said Baba Mustapha, I went no farther, and he had now stopped
directly at Cassim’s house where Ali Baba lived then; upon which
the thief, before he pulled off the band, marked the door with a
piece of chalk, which he had ready in his hand; and when he pulled
it off, he asked him if he knew whose house that was: to which Baba
Mustapha replied, that as he did not live in that neighbourhood, he
could not tell.
The robber, finding he could discover no more from Baba Mustapha,
thanked him for the trouble he had given him, and left him to go
back to his stall, while he returned to the forest, persuaded that
he should be very well received.
A little after the robber and Baba Mustapha parted, Morgiana went
out of Ali Baba’s house for something, and coming home again,
seeing the mark the robber had made, she stopped to observe it. What
is the meaning of this mark? said she to herself: somebody intends
my master no good, or else some boy has been playing the rogue with
it: with whatever intention it was done, added she, it is good to
guard against the worst. Accordingly she went and fetched a piece of
chalk, and marked two or three doors on each side in the same
manner, without saying a word to her master or mistress.
In the mean time, the thief rejoined his troop again in the forest,
and told them the good success he had; expatiating upon his good
fortune, in meeting so soon with the only person who could inform
him of what he wanted to know. All the robbers listened to him with
the utmost satisfaction; when the captain, after commending his
diligence, addressing himself to them all, said, Comrades, we have
no time to lose: let us all set off well armed, without its
appearing who we are; and that we may not give any suspicion, let
one or two go privately into the town together, and appoint the
rendezvous in the great square; and in the mean time, our comrade,
who brought us the good news, and I, will go and find out the house,
that we may consult what is best to be done.
This speech and plan was approved by all, and they were soon ready.
They filed off in small parcels of two or three, at the proper
distance from each other: and all got into the town without being in
the least suspected. The captain, and he that came in the morning as
a spy, came in last of all. He led the captain into the street where
he had marked Ali Baba’s house, and when they came to one of the
houses which Morgiana had marked, he pointed it out. But going a
little farther, to prevent being taken notice of, the captain
observed that the next door was chalked after the same manner, and
in the same place; and showing it to his guide, asked him which
house it was, that or the first. The guide was so confounded, that
he knew not what answer to make; and much less, when he and the
captain saw five or six houses besides marked after the same manner.
He assured the captain, with an oath, that he had marked but one,
and could not tell who had chalked the rest so like to that which he
marked, and owned, in that confusion, he could not distinguish it.
The captain, finding that their design proved abortive, went
directly to the place of rendezvous, and told the first of his troop
that he met, that they had lost their labour, and must return to
their cave the same way as they came. He himself set them the
example, and they all returned as they came.
When the troop was all got together, the captain told them the
reason of their returning; and presently the conductor was declared
by all worthy of death. He condemned himself, acknowledging that he
ought to have taken better precaution, and kneeled down to receive
the stroke from him that was appointed to cut off his head.
But as it was the safety of the troop that an injury should not go
unpunished, another of the gang, who promised himself that he should
succeed better, presented himself, and his offer being accepted, he
went and corrupted Baba Mustapha, as the other had done; and being
shown the house, marked it, in a place more remote from sight, with
red chalk.
Not long after, Morgiana, whose eyes nothing could escape, went out,
and seeing the red chalk, and arguing after the same manner with
herself, marked the other neighbours’ houses in the same place and
manner.
The robber, at his return to his company, valued himself very much
upon the precaution he had taken, which he looked upon as an
infallible way of distinguishing Ali Baba’s house from his
neighbours, and the captain and all of them thought it must succeed.
They conveyed themselves into the town in the same manner as before;
and when the robber and his captain came to the street, they found
the same difficulty; at which the captain was enraged, and the
robber in as great confusion as his predecessor.
Thus the captain and his troop were forced to retire a second time,
and much more dissatisfied; and the robber, as the author of the
mistake, underwent the same punishment, which he willingly submitted
to.
The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was afraid
of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get information
about Ali Baba’s house. He found, by their example, that their
heads were not so good as their hands on such occasions; and
therefore resolved to take upon himself this important commission.
Accordingly he went and addressed himself to Baba Mustapha, who did
him the same piece of service he had done to the former. He never
amused himself with setting any particular mark on the house, but
examined and observed it so carefully, by passing often by it, that
it was impossible for him to mistake it.
The captain, very well satisfied with his journey, and informed of
what he wanted to know, returned to the forest; and when he came
into the cave, where the troop waited for him, he said, Now,
comrades, nothing can prevent our full revenge; I am certain of the
house, and in my way hither I have thought how to put it in
execution, and if any one knows a better expedient, let him
communicate it. Then he told them his contrivance; and as they
approved of it, he ordered them to go into the towns and villages
about, and buy nineteen mules, and thirty-eight large leather jars,
one full, and the others all empty.
In two or three days time the robbers purchased the mules and jars,
and as the mouths of the jars were rather too narrow for his
purpose, the captain caused them to be widened; and after having put
one of his men into each, with the weapons which he thought fit,
leaving open the seam which had been undone to leave them room to
breathe, he rubbed the jars on the outside with oil from the full
vessel.
Things being thus prepared, when the nineteen mules were loaded with
thirty-seven robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, the captain, as
their driver, set out with them, and reached the town by the dusk of
the evening, as he intended. He led them through the streets till he
came to Ali Baba’s, at whose door he designed to have knocked; but
was prevented by his sitting there, after supper, to take a little
fresh air. He stopped his mules, and addressed himself to him, and
said, I have brought some oil here, a great way, to sell at
tomorrow’s market; and it is now so late, that I do not know where
to lodge. If I should not be troublesome to you, do me the favour to
let me pass the night with you, and I shall be very much obliged to
you.
Though Ali Baba had seen the captain of the robbers in the forest,
and had heard him speak, it was impossible for him to know him in
the disguise of an oil-merchant. He told him he should be welcome,
and immediately opened his gates for the mules to go into the yard.
At the same time he called to a slave he had, and ordered him, when
the mules were unloaded, not only to put them into the stable, but
to give them corn and hay; and then went to Morgiana, to bid her get
a good hot supper for his guest, and make him a good bed.
He did more. To make his guest as welcome as possible, when he saw
the captain had unloaded his mules, and that they were put into the
stable as he ordered, and he was looking for a place to pass the
night in the air, he brought him into the hall where he received his
company, telling him he would not suffer him to be in the court. The
captain excused himself, on pretence of not being troublesome; but
really to have room to execute his design, and it was not till after
the most pressing importunity that he yielded. Ali Baba, not content
to keep company with the man who had a design on his life, till
supper was ready, continued talking with him till it was ended, and
repeating his offer of service.
The captain rose up at the same time, and went with him to the door;
and while Ali Baba went into the kitchen to speak to Morgiana, he
went into the yard, under pretence of looking at his mules. Ali
Baba, after charging Morgiana afresh to take great care of his
guest, said to her, Tomorrow morning I design to go to the bath
before day; take care my bathing linen be ready, and give them to
Abdalla, which was the slave’s name, and make me some good broth
against I come back. After this he went to bed.
In the mean time the captain of the robbers went from the stable to
give his people orders what to do; and beginning at the first jar,
and so on to the last, said to each man, As soon as I throw some
stones out of the chamber window where I lie, do not fail to cut the
jar open with the knife you have about you, pointed and sharpened
for the purpose, and come out, and I will be presently with you.
After this he returned into the kitchen, and Morgiana taking up a
light, conducted him to his chamber, where, after she had asked him
if he wanted any thing, she left him; and he, to avoid any
suspicion, put the light out soon after, and laid himself down in
his clothes, that he might be the more ready to rise again.
Morgiana, remembering Ali Baba’s orders, got his bathing linen
ready, and ordered Abdalla, who was not then gone to bed, to set on
the pot for the broth; but while she scummed the pot the lamp went
out, and there was no more oil in the house, nor any candles. What
to do she did not know, for the broth must be made. Abdalla seeing
her very uneasy, said, Do not fret and tease yourself, but go into
the yard, and take some oil out of one of the jars.
Morgiana thanked Abdalla for his advice; and while he went to bed,
near Ali Baba’s room, that he might be the better able to rise and
follow Ali Baba to the bath, she took the oil-pot, and went into the
yard; and as she came nigh the first jar, the robber within said
softly, Is it time?
Though the robber spoke low, Morgiana was struck with the voice the
more, because the captain, when he unloaded the mules, opened this
and all the other jars, to give air to his men, who were ill enough
at their ease, without wanting room to breathe.
Any other slave but Morgiana, so surprised as she was to find a man
in a jar, instead of the oil she wanted, would have made such a
noise, as to have given an alarm, which would have been attended
with ill consequences; whereas Morgiana, apprehending immediately
the importance of keeping the secret, and the danger Ali Baba, his
family, and she herself were in, and the necessity of applying a
speedy remedy without noise, conceived at once the means, and
collecting herself without showing the least emotion, answered, Not
yet, but presently. She went in this manner to all the jars, giving
the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil.
By this means, Morgiana found that her master Ali Baba, who thought
that he had entertained an oil merchant, had admitted thirty-eight
robbers into his house; looking on this pretended merchant as their
captain. She made what haste she could to fill her oil pot, and
returned into her kitchen; where, as soon as she had lighted her
lamp, she took a great kettle, and went again to the oil jar, filled
the kettle, and set it on a great wood fire to boil; and as soon as
it boiled, went and poured enough into every jar to stifle and
destroy the robber within.
When this action, worthy of the courage of Morgiana, was executed
without any noise, as she had projected, she returned into the
kitchen with the empty kettle, and shut the door: and having put out
the great fire she had made to boil the oil, and leaving just enough
to make the broth, put out also the lamp, and remained silent;
resolving not to go to bed till she had observed what was to follow
through a window of the kitchen, which opened into the yard, as far
as the darkness of the night permitted.
She had not waited a quarter of an hour, before the captain of the
robbers waked, got up, and opened the window; and finding no light,
and hearing no noise, or any one stirring in the house, gave the
signal, by throwing little stones, several of which hit the jars, as
he knew by the sound they gave. Then he listened, and not hearing
nor perceiving any thing whereby he could judge that his companions
stirred, he began to grow very uneasy, and threw stones again a
second and a third time, and could not comprehend the reason that
none of them should answer to his signal: cruelly alarmed, he went
softly down into the yard, and going to the first jar, and asking
the robber, whom he thought alive, if he was asleep, he smelled the
hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam out of the jar, and knew
thereby that his plot to murder Ali Baba and plunder his house was
discovered. Examining all the jars one after another, he found that
all his gang were dead; and by the oil he missed out of the last
jar, he guessed at the means and manner of their deaths. Enraged to
despair at having failed in his design, he forced the lock of a
door, that led from the yard to the garden, and, climbing over the
walls of several gardens, at last made his escape.
When Morgiana heard no noise, and found, after waiting some time,
that the captain did not return, she guessed that he chose rather to
make his escape by the gardens than by the street door, which was
double locked; satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so well, and
secured the house, she went to bed and fell asleep.
Ali Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, went to the
baths, entirely ignorant of the amazing accident that had happened
at home; for Morgiana did not think it right to wake him before for
fear of losing her opportunity; and afterwards she thought it
needless to disturb him.
When he returned from the baths, and the sun had risen, he was very
much surprised to see the oil jars, and that the merchant was not
gone with the mules. He asked Morgiana, who opened the door, and had
let all things stand as they were, that he might see them, the
reason of it. My good master, answered she, God preserve you and all
your family! you will be better informed of what you wish to know,
when you have seen what I have to show you, if you will give
yourself the trouble to follow me.
As soon as Morgiana had shut the door, Ali Baba followed her; and
when she brought him into the yard, she bid him look into the first
jar, and see if there was any oil. Ali Baba did so, and seeing a
man, started back frightened, and cried out. Do not be afraid, said
Morgiana; the man you see there can neither do you nor any body else
any harm. He is dead. Ah, Morgiana! said Ali Baba, what is it you
show me? Explain the meaning of it to me. I will, replied Morgiana;
moderate your astonishment, and do not excite the curiosity of your
neighbours; for it is of great importance to keep this affair
secret. Look in all the other jars.
Ali Baba examined all the other jars, one after another; and when he
came to that which had the oil in it, he found it prodigiously sunk,
and stood for some time motionless, sometimes looking on the jars,
and sometimes on Morgiana, without saying a word, so great was his
surprise; at last, when he had recovered himself he said, And what
is become of the merchant?
Merchant! answered she: he is as much one as I am. I will tell you
who he is, and what is become of him; but you had better hear the
story in your own chamber; for it is time for your health that you
had your broth after your bathing.
While Ali Baba went into his chamber, Morgiana went into the kitchen
to fetch the broth, and carry it to him: but before he would drink
it, he first bid her satisfy his impatience, and tell him the story
with all its circumstances; and she obeyed him.
Last night, sir, said she, when you were gone to bed, I got your
bathing linen ready, and gave them to Abdalla; afterwards I set on
the pot for the broth, and as I was skimming the pot, the lamp, for
want of oil, went out; and as there was not a drop more in the
house, I looked for a candle, but could not find one. Abdalla,
seeing me vexed, put me in mind of the jars of oil which stood in
the yard. I took the oil pot, and went directly to the jar which
stood nearest to me; and when I came to it, I heard a voice within
it say, Is it time? Without being dismayed, and comprehending
immediately the malicious intention of the pretended oil merchant, I
answered, Not yet, but presently. Then I went to the next, and
another voice asked me the same question, and I returned the same
answer; and so on, till I came to the last, which I found full of
oil: with which I filled my pot.
When I considered that there were thirty-seven robbers in the yard,
who only waited for a signal to be given by the captain, whom you
took to be an oil merchant, and entertained so handsomely, I thought
there was no time to be lost: I carried my pot of oil into the
kitchen, lighted the lamp, and afterwards took the biggest kettle I
had, went and filled it full of oil, and set it on the fire to boil,
and then went and poured as much into each jar as was sufficient to
prevent them from executing the pernicious design they came about:
after this I retired into the kitchen, and put out the lamp; but,
before I went to bed, I waited at the window to know what measures
the pretended merchant would take.
After I had watched some time for the signal, he threw some stones
out of the window against the jars, and neither hearing nor
perceiving any body stirring, after throwing three times, he came
down, and I saw him go to every jar, after which, through the
darkness of the night, I lost sight of him. I waited some time
longer, and finding that he did not return, I never doubted but
that, seeing he had missed his aim, he had made his escape over the
walls of the garden. Persuaded that the house was now safe, I went
to bed.