Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Long ago, in a small town on the edge of a vast desert, lived a poor woodcutter named Ali Baba. Every day, he went to the forest to chop wood, load it onto his donkey, and sell it in the market. Life was hard, but Ali Baba was honest and content with what little he had.

One scorching afternoon, while cutting wood deep in the forest, Ali Baba heard the sound of galloping hooves. Quickly, he hid behind a large rock. From his hiding place, he saw a group of forty men on horseback, their faces covered with scarves, their belts heavy with swords. They were the most feared thieves in the land.

The men stopped in front of a towering cliff. Their leader dismounted, stood before a large boulder, and shouted, "Open, Sesame!"

To Ali Baba’s astonishment, the rock magically slid aside, revealing a dark, yawning cave. The thieves entered one by one. After a while, they emerged carrying nothing—so the treasure must be inside. Before leaving, the leader cried, "Close, Sesame!" and the rock rolled shut again.

When the thieves rode away in a cloud of dust, Ali Baba’s heart pounded with excitement. Cautiously, he approached the boulder, took a deep breath, and said the magic words: "Open, Sesame!"

The rock slid open, and Ali Baba stepped into the cave. Inside, he found mountains of gold coins, silver jewels, silk carpets, and precious gems—more wealth than he had ever dreamed possible.

Ali Baba took only a small bag of gold coins, enough to feed his family for many years, and hurried home. He told his wife the secret, and together they decided to keep it hidden from everyone—even Ali Baba’s greedy elder brother, Kasim.

But secrets are hard to keep. When Kasim noticed his brother suddenly had better clothes and more food, he grew suspicious. He pressed Ali Baba for the truth. Unable to lie, Ali Baba told him about the cave and the magic words.

Kasim wasted no time. He rushed to the forest with ten mules carrying empty chests, found the cliff, and shouted, "Open, Sesame!" The rock slid open, and he ran inside, his eyes shining with greed.

He began filling his chests with gold and jewels. But when he was ready to leave, he realized—he had forgotten the magic words to open the door again. In panic, he tried everything: "Open, Barley!" "Open, Wheat!" But nothing worked.

Hours later, the thieves returned. Finding Kasim inside, they cut him down without mercy. His greed had cost him his life.

When Kasim did not return home, Ali Baba went to the cave and found his brother’s body. Saddened, he buried him quietly. But now the thieves knew someone else had discovered their secret. Their leader swore to find and kill the intruder.

The next day, the leader disguised himself as an oil merchant with large jars loaded onto donkeys. He knocked on Ali Baba’s door, asking to stay the night. Ali Baba, being hospitable, welcomed him in.

What Ali Baba didn’t know was that thirty-nine of the jars were not filled with oil—but with thieves hiding inside. They planned to come out at night and murder him.

However, Ali Baba’s clever servant girl, Morgiana, overheard the leader whispering instructions to the hidden thieves. Pretending to prepare the evening meal, she boiled a large cauldron of oil and quietly poured it into each jar, killing the men inside without a sound.

When morning came, Ali Baba discovered the truth. He thanked Morgiana for saving his life and treated her like a daughter from that day on.

But the leader of the thieves was still alive. Weeks later, he returned in the disguise of a wealthy merchant and was invited to dinner at Ali Baba’s home. During the meal, Morgiana recognized him. She performed a dance for the guests, and in the middle of it, she plunged a dagger into his heart, ending his threat forever.

With the thieves gone, Ali Baba returned to the cave and took only what he needed over the years. He never let greed control him, and he always remembered that honesty and wisdom are worth more than gold.

And so, Ali Baba lived the rest of his days in peace, sharing his fortune with those in need and keeping the words "Open, Sesame" as a secret between himself and Morgiana.

Moral: Greed can destroy, but wisdom and loyalty can save lives.