A Folk tale from the Arabian Nights

  Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves – Part 2

       (Tales from Arabian Nights)

   Meanwhile, seeing the body of Kassim disappear, the leader realized that there were tow people who knew the secret. So he ordered one of his men to disguise himself and go into the town to find out.  
   The thief, befriended the shopkeepers. One day, the cobbler told him, ”Would you believe sir, I recently sewed up a man’s body!” the thief pushed a gold coin into the old man’s hand and told, “Oh! Please sir, lead me to his house.”
   Although the old man was blindfolded when he went Ali Baba’s house, he could still make out the way. The thief immediately put a cross on the door.
   A little later, Marjinah returned from the market and saw the cross mark on Ali Baba’s door. Sensing that something was wrong, she marked a cross on all the doors in the street.
   The leader of the thieves and his troupe returned late at midnight to kill Ali Baba. When they reached, they saw all the houses had a cross mark. They returned back frustrated. 
   The next day, the leader of the thieves decided to go himself this time. He took the same thief who went last time with him. They went to the cobbler and pushed a gold coin into his hand and requested him to show that house again. This time the leader mentally noted the direction of the house.
   The next day, he entered Ali Baba’s house and Ali Baba asked him, “Yes sir, how can I help you?” the leader of the thieves replied, “sir, I am an oil merchant. I have to sell in the market tomorrow. If you would be kind enough to allow me to stay here for the night, I would leave tomorrow.”
   Ali Baba being a kind soul offered the leader of the thieves his house to stay. Later, the leader went to the backyard of Ali Baba’s house. He had hidden his men in thirty nine jars and one jar he hade filled oil!
   He hurriedly opened each of the jars and said, “well at the right time I whistle and you what to do next day.

   Meanwhile, Marjinah thought to herself, “I can take a pitcher of oil. I would not make much of difference.” On reaching the backyard, the thieves heard footsteps and thinking it to be their leader whispered, “Is it time yet?” 
   Marjinah was shocked to hear voices from the jars. She hurriedly replied, “no, not yet.” She immediately realized that something was brewing against her master. She ran to the kitchen, heated a big vessel of oil to boiling temperature. She silently brought it to the backyard and poured enough oil in each of the jars to stifle and kill the thieves inside.
   She told Ali Baba, “sir with your permission I would like to present a dance to our guest before serving dinner.” Ali Baba agreed and Morjinah started dancing. When her dance was to end, she suddenly ran up to the leader of the thieves and stabbed him with all her might on his chest. Ali Baba and her wife were shocked.
   Marjinah told the whole story of the forty jars and their leader. Ali Baba immediately recognized the thieves. He was so happy that he handed the entire treasure of the cave to her and got his son married to her. And they all lived happily.



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