ALT BABA; OR, THE FORTY THIEVES. 19

to the rock, where they all dismounted. Ali Baba counted
forty of them, and he could not doubt but they were thicves,
by their ill-looking countenances. They each took a loaded
portmanteau from his horse ; and he who seemed to be their
captain, turning to the rock, said, Open Sesame, and immediately
a door opened in the rock, and all the robbers passed in, when
the door shut itself. In a short time the door opened again and
the forty robbers came out, followed by their captain, who said,
Shut Sesame. The door instantly closed; and the troop mount-
ing their horses, were presently out of sight.

‘Ali Baba remained in the tree a long time, and seeing that
the robbers did not return, he ventured down, and, approaching
close to the rock, said, Open Sesame. Immediately the door
flew open, and Ali Baba beheld a spacious cavern, very light,
and filled with all sorts of provisions, merchandise, rich stuffs,
and heaps of gold and silver coin, which these rebbers had
taken from merchants and travellers. Ali Baba then went in
search of his asses, and having brought them to the rock, took
as many bags of gold coin as they could carry, and put them
on their backs, covering them with some loose faggots of wood;
and afterwards (not forgetting to say, Shut Sesame) he drove the
asses back to the city, and having unloaded them in the stable
belonging to his cottage, carried the bags into the house, and
spread the gold coin out upon the floor
before his wife. His wife, delighted with
Possessing so much money, wanted to
count it ; but finding it would take up
too much time, she was resolved to
™measure it, and running to the house of
Ali Baba’s brother, she entreated them —=
to lend her a small measure. Cassim’s &
wife was very proud and envious: “ I 5
wonder,” she said to herself, “what sort of grain soc poor