THE FORTY THIEVES 193

a hole, and bury it; there is no time to be
lost.” ‘You are in the right, husband,” replied
she; ‘“‘but let us know, as nigh as possible, how
much we have. I will borrow a small measure
in the neighbourhood, and measure it, while
you dig the hole.” “What you are going to
do is to no purpose, wife,” said Ali Baba. “If
you would take my advice, you had better let
it alone; but keep the secret, and do what you
please.”

Away the wife ran to her _ brother-in-law
Cassim, who lived just by, but was not then at
home; and addressing herself to his wife, desired
her to lend her a measure for a little while.
Her sister-in-law asked her, whether she would
have a great or a small one? The other asked
for a small one. She bade her are a little, and
she would readily fetch one.

The sister-in-law did so, but, as she knew
Ali Baba’s poverty, she was curious to know
what sort of grain his wife wanted to measure,
and artfully putting some suet at the bottom of
the measure, brought it to her with an excuse,
that she was sorry that she had made her stay |
so long, but that she could not find it sooner.

Ali Baba’s wife went home, set the measure
upon the heap of gold, filled it and emptied it