good fortune, and would count all the gold, 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 dig a hole, and bury it; there is no time to be lost". "You
are in the right, husband," replied she; "but let us know, as
nigh as possible, how much we have. I will 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
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 bade her stay a little, and she would readily fetch
one.
The sister-in-law did so, but as she knew Ali Baba's poverty, she
was curious to know what sort of grain his wife wanted to
measure, and artfully putting some suet at the bottom of the
measure, 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,
filled it and emptied it often upon the sofa, till she had done:
when she was very well satisfied to find the number of measures
amounted to so many as they did, and went to tell her husband,
who had almost finished digging the hole. While Ali Baba 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 had stuck to the bottom.
"Sister," said she, giving it to her again, "you see that I have
not kept your measure long; I am obliged to you for it, and
return it with thanks."
As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's looked at the
bottom of the measure, and was in 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 wealth?"
Cassim, her husband, was not at home, but at his counting-house,
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 circumstance, at which she guessed he would be as much
surprised as herself.
When Cassim came home, his wife said to him, "Cassim, I know you
think yourself rich, but you are much mistaken; Ali Baba is
infinitely richer than you; he does not count his money but
measures it." Cassim desired her to explain the riddle, which she
did, by telling him the stratagem she had used to make the
discovery, and shewed him the piece of money, which was so old
that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was coined.
Cassim, instead of being pleased, conceived a base envy at his
brother's prosperity; he could not sleep all that night, and went
to him in the morning before sun-rise. Cassim, after he had
married the rich widow, had never treated Ali Baba as a brother,
but neglected him. "All 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, shewing 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 conceal; but what was done could not be recalled; therefore,
without shewing the least surprise or trouble, he confessed all,
told his brother by what chance he had discovered this retreat of
the thieves, in what place it was; and offered him part of his
treasure to keep the secret. "I expect as much," replied Cassim
haughtily; "but I must know exactly where this treasure is, and
how I may visit it myself when I choose; otherwise I will go and
inform against you, and then you will not only get no more, but
will lose all you have, and I shall have a share for my
information."
Ali Baba, more out of his natural good temper, than frightened by
the insulting menaces of his unnatural brother, told him all he
desired, and even the very words he was to use to gain admission
into the cave.
Cassim, who wanted no more of Ali Baba, left him, resolving to be
beforehand with him, and hoping to get all the treasure to
himself. He rose the next morning, long before the sun, and set
out for the forest with ten mules bearing great chests, which he
designed to fill; and followed the road which Ali Baba had
pointed out to him. He was not long before he reached the rock,
and found out the place by the tree, and other marks which his
brother had given him. When he reached the entrance of the
cavern, he pronounced the words, "Open, Sesame," the door
immediately opened, and when he was in, closed upon him. In
examining the cave, he was in great admiration to find much more
riches than he had apprehended from Ali Baba's relation. He was
so covetous, and greedy of wealth, that he could have spent the
whole day in feasting his eyes with so much treasure, if the
thought that he came to carry some away had not hindered him. He
laid as many bags of gold as he could carry at the door of the
cavern, but his thoughts were so full of the great riches he
should possess, that he could not think of the necessary word to
make it open, but instead of Sesame, said "Open, Barley," and was
much amazed to find that the door remained fast shut. He named
several sorts of grain, but still the door would not open.
Cassim had never expected such an incident, and was so alarmed at
the danger he was in, that the 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 mentioned. He
threw down the bags he had loaded himself with, and walked
distractedly up and down the cave, without having the least
regard to the riches that were round him.
About noon the robbers chanced to visit 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
galloped full speed to the cave. They drove away the mules, which
Cassim had neglected to fasten, and they strayed through the
forest so far, that they were soon out of sight. The robbers
never gave themselves the trouble to pursue them, being 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 proper words, it opened.
Cassim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet from the middle
of the cave, never doubted of the arrival of the robbers, and his
approaching death; but was resolved to make one effort to escape
from them. To this end he rushed to the door, and no sooner heard
the word Sesame, which he had forgotten, and saw the door open,
than he ran out and threw the leader 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 examine the cave.
They found all the bags which Cassim had brought to the door, to
be ready to load his mules, and carried them again to their
places, without missing what Ali Baba had taken away before. Then
holding a council, and deliberating upon this occurrence, they
guessed that Cassim, when he was in, could not get out again; but
could not imagine how he had entered. It came into their heads
that he might have got down by the top of the cave; but the
aperture by which it received light was so high, and the rock so
inaccessible without, besides that nothing shewed that he had
done so, that they gave up this conjecture. That he came in at
the door they could not believe however, unless he had the secret
of making it open. In short, none of them could imagine which way
he had entered; for they were all persuaded nobody knew their
secret, little imagining that Ali Baba had watched them. It was a
matter of the greatest importance to them to secure their riches.
They agreed therefore to cut Cassim's body into four quarters, to
hang two on one side and two on the other, within the door of the
cave, to terrify any person who 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
than they put it in execution, and when they had nothing more to
detain them, left the place of their hoards well closed. They
mounted their horses, went to beat the roads again, and to attack
the caravans they might 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 alarm,
and said, "I believe, brother-in-law, that you know 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
happened to him." Ali Baba, who had expected that his brother,
after what he had said, would go to the forest, had 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 would 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
the business secret, was the more easily persuaded to believe her
brother-in-law. She went home again, and waited patiently till
midnight. Then her fear redoubled, and her grief was the more sensible
because she was forced to keep it to herself. 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 the night in
weeping; and as soon as it was day, went to them, telling them, by her
tears, the cause of her coming.
Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to desire him to go
to see what was become of Cassim, but departed 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, having
seen neither his brother nor the mules in his way, was seriously
alarmed at finding some blood spilt near the door, which he took
for an ill omen; but when he had pronounced the word, and the
door had opened, he was struck with horror 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, but without adverting to
the little fraternal affection he had shown for him, went into
the cave, to find something to enshroud his remains, and having
loaded one of his asses with them, 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 house.
Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened by Morgiana, an
intelligent slave, fruitful in inventions to insure 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 had died a natural death. Go, tell your mistress I want
to speak with her; and mind what I have said to you."
Morgiana went to her mistress, and Ali Baba followed her. "Well,
brother," said she, with great impatience, "what news do you
bring me of my husband? I perceive no comfort in your
countenance." "Sister," answered Ali Baba, "I cannot satisfy your
inquiries unless 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 not to be found;
but at the same time I know the necessity of the secrecy you
require, and I must constrain myself: say on, I will hear you."
Ali Baba then detailed the incidents of his journey, till he came
to the finding of Cassim's body. "Now," said he, "sister, I have
something to relate which will afflict you the more, because it
is perhaps what you so little expect; but it cannot now be
remedied; if my endeavours can comfort you, I offer to put that
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 mast
think of acting so as that my brother should appear to have died
a natural death. I think you may leave the management of the
business to Morgiana, and I will contribute all that lies in my
power to your consolation."
What could Cassim's widow do better than accept of this proposal?
For though her first husband had left behind him a plentiful
substance, his brother was now much richer, and by the discovery
of this treasure might be still more so. Instead, therefore, of
rejecting the offer, she regarded it as the sure means of
comfort; and drying up her tears, which had begun to flow
abundantly, and suppressing the outcries usual with women who
have lost their husbands, shewed Ali Baba that she approved of
his proposal. Ali Baba left the widow, 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
for a sort of lozenges, which he prepared, and were very
efficacious in the most dangerous disorders. The apothecary
inquired who was ill at her master's? She replied with a sigh,
"Her good master Cassim himself: that they knew not what his
disorder 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
gave out 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 at 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 hesitate a little at these words. "Oh!
oh!" 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 had mentioned, conveyed
him to her deceased master's house, and never unloosed his eyes
till he had entered 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 finished his task, she blindfolded him
again, gave him the third piece of gold as she had promised, and
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 towards his stall, till he
was quite out of sight, for fear he should have the curiosity to
return and dodge her; she then went home.
By the time Morgiana had warmed some water to wash the body, Ali
Baba came with incense to embalm it, after which it was sewn up
in a winding sheet. Not long after, the joiner, according to Ali
Baba's orders, brought the bier, which Morgiana received at the
door, and helped Ali Baba to put the body into it; when she went
to the mosque to inform the imaum 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 that it was done
already.
Morgiana had scarcely got home before the imaum and the other
ministers of the mosque arrived. Four neighbours carried the
corpse on their shoulders to the burying-ground, following the
imaum, 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 the cause of it.
Three or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba removed his few
goods openly to the widow's house; but the money he had taken
from the robbers he conveyed thither by night; soon after the
marriage with his sister-in-law was published, and as these
marriages are common, nobody was surprised.
As for Cassim's warehouse, Ali Baba gave it to his own eldest
son, promising that if he managed it 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 great was their surprise to find Cassim's body
taken away, with some of their bags of gold. "We are certainly
discovered," said the captain, "and if we do not speedily apply
some remedy, shall gradually lose all the riches which our
ancestors and ourselves have, with so much pains and danger, been
so many years amassing together. All that we can think of the
loss which we have sustained is, that the thief whom we 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 shews that he had an accomplice; and as it is
likely that there were but two who had discovered our secret, and
one has been caught, we must look narrowly after the other. What
say you, my lads?"
All the robbers thought the captain's proposal so advisable, 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 fidelity to
our cause: but, first of all, one of you who is bold, artful, and
enterprising, must go into the town, disguised as a traveller and
a stranger, to try if he can hear any talk of the strange death
of the man whom we have killed, as he deserved; and endeavour to
find out who he was, and where he lived. This is a matter of the
first importance for us to ascertain, 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 him 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 that in case of
treachery, or even error of judgment, he should suffer death?"
Without waiting for the suffrages of his companions, one of the
robbers started up, and said, "I submit to this condition, and
think it an honour to expose my life, by taking the 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 accidentally he came to Baba Mustapha's stall,
which was always open before any of the shops.
Baba Mustapha was seated with an awl in his hand, just going to
work. The robber saluted him, bidding him good morrow; and
perceiving that he was old, said, "Honest man, you begin to work
very early: is it possible that one of your age can see so well?
I question, even if it were 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 had addressed himself,
at his first coming into the town, to a man who in all
probability could give him the intelligence he wanted. "A dead
body!" replied he with affected amazement, to make him explain
himself. "What could you sew up a dead body for? You mean, you
sewed up his winding sheet." "No, no," answered Baba Mustapha, "I
perceive your meaning; you want to have me speak out, but you
shall know no more."
The robber wanted no farther assurance to be persuaded that he
had discovered what he sought. He pulled out a piece of gold, and
putting it into Baba Mustapha's hand, said to him, "I do not want
to learn 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 shew me the house where You
stitched up the dead body."
"If I were disposed to do you that favour," 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
taken to a certain place, where I was blinded, I was then led to
the house, and afterwards brought back again in the same manner;
you see, therefore, the impossibility of my doing what you
desire."
"Well," replied the robber, "you may, however, remember a little
of the way that you were led blindfolded. Come, let me blind your
eyes at the same place. We will walk together; perhaps you may
recognize 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.