200 ALI BABA AND

if the thought that he came to carry some
away had not hindered him. He laid as many
bags of gold as he could carry at the door of
the cavern; but his thoughts were so full of the
great riches he should possess, that he could
not think of the necessary word to make it open,
but, instead of Sesame, said “ Open, Barley,”
and was much amazed to find that the door
remained fast shut. He named several sorts of
grain, but still the door would not open.

Cassim had never expected such an incident,
and was so alarmed at the danger he was in,
that the more he endeavoured to remember the
word Sesame, the more his memory was con-
founded, and he had as much forgotten it as if
he had never heard it mentioned. He threw
down the bags he had loaded himself with, and
walked distractedly up and down the cave,
without having the least regard to the riches
that were round him.

About noon the robbers chanced to visit their
cave, and at some distance from it saw Cassim’s
mules straggling about the rock, with great
chests on their backs. Alarmed at this novelty,
they galloped full speed to the cave; they
drove away the mules, which Cassim had
neglected to fasten, and they strayed through