When he returned from the bath, the sun being risen, Ali Baba was surprised to see the jars of oil still in their places; he inquired the reason of Morgiana, who let him in, and who had left everything as it was, in order to show it to him. 5 "My good master," said Morgiana to Ali Baba's question, "may God preserve you and all your family. You will soon know the reason, if you will take the trouble to come with me." Ali Baba followed Morgiana, and when she had shut the door, she took him to the first jar and bid him look in and see if it 10 contained oil. He did as she desired: and seeing a man in the jar, he hastily drew back and uttered a cry of surprise. "Do not be afraid," said she, "the man you see there will not do you any harm; he will never hurt either you or any one else again, for he is now a lifeless corpse." 15 "Morgiana!" exclaimed Ali Baba, "what does all this mean? Do explain this mystery." "I will explain it,” replied Morgiana, "but pray be cautious, and do not awaken the curiosity of your neighbors to learn what it is of the utmost importance that you should keep secret and concealed. Look first at all the other 20 jars." Ali Baba examined all the rest of the jars, one after the other, from the first till he came to the last, which contained the oil, and he remarked that its oil was nearly all gone. This done, he stood, sometimes casting his eyes on Morgiana, then 25 looking at the jars, yet without speaking a word, so great was his surprise. At length, he said, "And what is become of the merchant?" 30 "The merchant," replied Morgiana, "is just as much a merchant as I am. I can tell you who he is." She then described the marks made upon the door, and the way in which she had copied them, adding: "You see this is a plot contrived by the thieves of the forest, whose troop, I know not how, seems to be diminished by two. But be that as it may, it is now reduced to three at most. This proves that they are 35 determined on your death, and you will do right to be on your guard against them, so long as you are certain that even one remains." Ali Baba, full of gratitude for all he owed her, replied, "I will reward you as you deserve before I die. I owe my life 5 to you, and from this moment give you your liberty, and will soon do still more for you." 10 MORGIANA'S GREAT COURAGE AND REWARD Meanwhile the Captain of the forty thieves had returned to the forest full of rage, and determined to revenge himself on Ali Baba. Next morning he awoke at an early hour, put on a merchant's dress, and returned to the city, where he took a lodging in a khan. Then he bought a horse, which he made use of to convey to his lodging several kinds of rich stuffs and fine linens, bringing them from the forest at various times. In order to dispose 15 of these wares, he took a shop, and established himself in it. This shop was exactly opposite to that which had been Cassim's, and was now occupied by the son of Ali Baba. The Captain of the thieves, who had taken the name of Cogia Houssain, soon succeeded in making friends with the son 20 of Ali Baba, who was young and good-natured. He often invited the youth to sup with him, and made him rich gifts. When Ali Baba heard of it, he resolved to make return for this kindness to Cogia Houssain; little thinking that the pretended merchant was really the Captain of the thieves. So one 25 day he asked Cogia Houssain to do him the honor of supping, and spending the evening at his house. "Sir," replied Cogia, "I am grateful for your kindness, but I must beg you to excuse me, and for a reason which I am sure you will think sufficient. It is this: I never eat of any dish that has salt in it; judge, then, 30 of the figure I should make at your table." "If this be your only reason," replied Ali Baba, "it need not prevent you coming to supper with me. The bread which is eaten in my house does not contain any salt; and as for the meat and other dishes, I promise you there shall be none in those which are served before you." So Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and desired Morgiana 5 not to put any salt in the meat she was going to serve for supper, and also to prepare two or three dishes of those that he had ordered without any salt. Morgiana obeyed, though much against her will; and she felt some curiosity to see this man who did not eat salt. When 10 she had finished, and Abdalla had prepared the table, she helped him in carrying the dishes. On looking at Cogia Houssain, she instantly recollected him to be the Captain of the robbers, in spite of his disguise; and looking at him more closely, she saw that he had a dagger hidden under his dress. "I am no longer 15 surprised," said she to herself, "that this villain will not eat salt with my master; he is his enemy, and means to murder him! but I will prevent the villain!" When the supper was ended, the Captain of the forty thieves now thought that the time for revenging himself on Ali Baba, 20 by taking his life, was come. "I will make them both drink much wine,” thought he, "and then the son, against whom I bear no malice, will not prevent my plunging my dagger into the heart of his father, and I shall escape by way of the garden, as I did before, while the cook and the slave are at their supper 25 in the kitchen." Instead, however, of going to supper, Morgiana did not allow him time to carry out his wicked plans. She dressed herself like a dancer, put on a head-dress suitable to that character, and wore a girdle round her waist of silver gilt, to which she 30 fastened a dagger, made of the same metal. Her face was hidden by a very handsome mask. When she had so disguised herself, she said to Abdalla, "Take your tabor, and let us go and entertain our master's guest, who is the friend of his son, as we do sometimes by our performances." 335 Abdalla took his tabor and began to play, as he walked before Morgiana, and entered the room; Morgiana following him, made a low curtsy, and performed several dances, with equal grace and agility. At length she drew out the dagger, and dancing with it in her hand, she surpassed all she had yet done, by her 5 light movements and high leaps; sometimes presenting the dagger as if to strike, and at others holding it to her own bosom, as if to stab herself. At length, as if out of breath, she took the tabor from Abdalla with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her 10 right, she held out the tabor to Ali Baba, who threw a piece of gold into the tabor. Morgiana then held it out to his son, who did the same. Cogia Houssain, who saw that she was coming to him next, had already taken his purse from his bosom, and was putting his hand in it, when Morgiana, with great courage, 15 suddenly plunged the dagger into his heart. Ali Baba and his son, terrified at this action, uttered a loud cry: "Wretch!" exclaimed Ali Baba, "what hast thou done? Thou hast ruined me and my family forever." "What I have done," replied Morgiana, "is not for your ruin, 20 but for your safety." Then opening Cogia Houssain's robe to show Ali Baba the poniard which was concealed under it, "see," continued she, "the cruel enemy you had to deal with; examine him, and you will recognize the pretended oil-merchant and the Captain of the forty thieves! Do you now see why he refused to 25 eat salt with you? Can you require a stronger proof of his treachery?" Ali Baba, who now saw all that he owed to Morgiana for having thus saved his life a second time, cried, "Morgiana, I gave you your liberty, and at the same time promised to do more 30 for you at some future time. This period is now arrived, and I present you to my son as his wife." A few days after, Ali Baba had the marriage of his son and Morgiana celebrated with great feasting. After the marriage, Ali Baba decided to visit again the cave 35 of the forty thieves, in the forest. On reaching it on horseback, he dismounted, and went up to the door, and repeated the words, "Open Sesame." At once the door opened, and he entered the cave, and found that no one had been in it from the time that Cogia Houssain had opened his shop in the city. He therefore 5 knew that the whole troop of thieves was killed, and that he was the only person in the whole world who knew the secret of the cave. From that time Ali Baba and his son, whom he took to the cave and taught the secret to enter it, enjoyed its riches with O moderation and lived in great happiness and comfort to the end of their long lives. HELPS TO STUDY Notes and Questions How did Ali Baba make his living? When did he first see the robber band? What words did the Captain say to gain entrance to the cave? Why did Ali Baba wish to see the cave? How did he plan to hide his gold after he returned home? What aroused the suspicions of his brother? How did Cassim feel toward Ali ceal the fact that Cassim was der to have revenge upon Ali Baba? How did Morgiana discover the How did Ali Baba reward her? from Ali Baba's house? Why would not the robber eat Did Ali Baba have a right to |