Short Stories Old and New

is small property equally between them. Cassim married a very rich wife, and became a wealthy merchant. Ali Baba m

saw what passed beneath. The troop, forty in number, all well mounted and armed, came to the foot of the rock on which the tree stood, and there dismounted. Each man unbridled his horse, tied him to a shrub, and hung about his neck a bag of corn. Then each of them took off his saddle-bag, which from its weight seemed to Ali Baba full of gold and silver

ounced séssamy)

first, and stood to see all the troop pass by him. Then Ali Baba heard him make the door close by saying: "Shut, Sesame." Every man at once bridled his

hether the captain's words would have the same effect if he should speak them, he found the door h

well lighted from the top, and in it all sorts of provisions, rich bales of silk,

rry. When he had loaded them with the bags, he laid wood over them so that they could not be seen, and, passing out of the door

ied the bags into the house. They were emptied before his wife, and the great heap of gold dazzled

me to count it out as she wished, but

id, "how much we have. I will borrow a small

ished to measure out, and artfully managed to put some suet in the bottom of the measure before she handed it over. Ali Baba's wife wanted to show how careful she was in small m

eft her, "has Ali Baba gold in such plenty that he measures it

s not count his money; he measures it." Then she explained to him how she had found it out, and they looked t

ed, he was filled with a base envy. Early in the morning, after a sleepless night, he went to him and said: "Ali Baba, you pre

al his good fortune, and told the whole story, offeri

ere this treasure is and how to visit it myself when I choose. Otherwi

to know, even to the words he mu

door opened at once, and when he was within closed upon him. Here indeed were the riches of which his brother had told. He quickly brought as many bags of gold as he could carry to the door of the cavern; but his thoughts were so full of his ne

"Sesame," the more confused his mind became. It was as if he had never heard the word at all. He threw down

galloped full speed to the cave. Driving the mules out of sight, they went at once, with their naked sabr

ved to make one effort for his life. As soon as the door opened, he rushed out and threw the le

n; but how he had managed to learn their secret words that let him in, they could not tell. One thing was certain,-there he was; and to warn all others who might know their secret and follow in Cassim's footsteps, they agreed to cut his body