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Once upon a time, in a small village at the edge of a vast forest, there lived a poor woodcutter named Ali Baba. Every day he went into the forest with his donkey to cut wood, which he sold in the market to feed his wife and himself. One morning, as he was chopping trees deeper than usual into the forest, he heard the sound of horses galloping. Fearing robbers, he quickly climbed up a tall tree to hide among the branches. From there, he saw forty men on horseback, all heavily armed, stopping near a large rock.
Ali Baba watched quietly as the leader of the group went toward the rock and shouted, “Open, Sesame!” To Ali Baba’s amazement, the great rock opened like a door, revealing a dark cave inside. The men entered, and after some time, they came out again. The leader then said, “Close, Sesame!” and the rock shut itself tightly once more. When the thieves had gone, Ali Baba climbed down from the tree, trembling with curiosity and excitement. He went straight to the rock and, recalling the words, cried, “Open, Sesame!” Instantly, the rock moved aside.
Ali Baba entered the cave and saw piles of gold, silver, jewels, silk, and many other treasures. His eyes widened with wonder; it was more wealth than he had ever imagined. Realizing this must be the robbers’ secret hideout, he filled a few sacks with as much gold as his donkey could carry and said, “Close, Sesame!” The cave sealed again, and he hurried home. When he reached his small house, he showed the gold to his wife. She was astonished and overjoyed. To know how much they had, she borrowed a small measure from her sister-in-law, the wife of Ali Baba’s rich brother, Cassim.
Cassim’s wife, being curious, marked the bottom of the measure with wax. When Ali Baba’s wife returned it, a gold coin had stuck to the wax. Seeing this, Cassim’s wife ran to tell her husband that Ali Baba must have found hidden treasure. Cassim, greedy and jealous, went to Ali Baba and demanded to know where he got the gold. At first, Ali Baba hesitated, but Cassim threatened to disown him. Finally, Ali Baba told him everything about the cave and the magic words. Cassim hurried away at once, taking ten mules loaded with empty chests to fill with treasure.
When Cassim reached the cave, he said the words, “Open, Sesame!” and went inside. The sight of the riches dazzled him so much that he filled his chests to the brim. But when he tried to leave, he forgot the words. Instead of “Sesame,” he said, “Open, Barley!” but nothing happened. Terrified, he tried other words—“Open, Wheat!” “Open, Rice!”—but the door would not move. Trapped inside, Cassim realized he was doomed. After a while, the thieves returned. They found the door open and Cassim inside, trying to hide behind the treasure. Their leader drew his sword and killed him. To warn others, the thieves cut Cassim’s body into pieces and hung them near the entrance.
When Cassim did not return home, his wife went to Ali Baba, begging him to find her husband. Ali Baba went to the cave, said “Open, Sesame!” and entered. Sadly, he found his brother’s body and realized what had happened. With great sorrow, he wrapped the pieces in a cloth and brought them home, planning to give him a proper burial. He asked a clever slave girl named Morgiana, who worked in Cassim’s household, to help. Morgiana went to a local tailor and blindfolded him, leading him secretly to Cassim’s house so he could sew the pieces together without knowing where he was. When the tailor finished, Morgiana paid him well and sent him away, blindfolded again.
The next day, they buried Cassim respectfully, and Ali Baba moved all his brother’s wealth into his own house. He and his wife took care of Cassim’s widow, and life went on peacefully. But the thieves soon discovered that the body was gone and guessed that someone else knew their secret. They decided to find out who it was. The leader sent one thief disguised as a traveler to the nearby town. By questioning people and visiting shops, he discovered that a rich man named Cassim had died suddenly. The thief followed the tailor, offering him money to remember the house he had been taken to. The tailor, frightened but greedy, agreed and marked Ali Baba’s door with chalk.
That night, the leader brought his men, but Morgiana, who was as wise as she was loyal, noticed the mark. Suspecting danger, she marked every other door in the street with the same chalk. When the thieves arrived later, they were confused, as all the houses looked the same. Furious, the leader killed the thief who had made the mistake. A few days later, another thief tried again, marking Ali Baba’s door with red paint. Morgiana noticed again and painted all the doors red. When the thieves returned, they were again baffled. The leader now realized that someone clever was protecting the man who knew their secret. He decided to go himself.
Disguising himself as an oil merchant, he loaded thirty-eight large oil jars onto his donkeys—thirty-seven filled with his men, and one with oil. He went to Ali Baba’s house, pretending to be a merchant seeking a place to stay for the night. Ali Baba, being kind and hospitable, welcomed him and offered food and rest. He placed the jars in his courtyard. At night, Morgiana went out to fetch some oil for cooking. When she reached the first jar, a whisper came from inside: “Is it time, master?” Shocked, she understood everything at once. Pretending to answer softly, she said, “Not yet.” She checked the other jars and heard the same whispers. All but one contained thieves.
Without wasting time, Morgiana hurried back to the kitchen, heated a large pot of oil until it boiled, and then poured it into each jar, one by one. The thieves inside were burned silently. When she reached the last jar, which contained real oil, she left it untouched. Afterward, she went quietly to bed, pretending to know nothing. Later that night, the leader came out of his jar and called to his men, but no one answered. When he checked the jars and found them all dead, he fled in terror, escaping into the darkness.
The next morning, Morgiana told Ali Baba everything. He thanked her deeply for saving his life, realizing her bravery and wisdom. He buried the bodies secretly so that no one would suspect anything. For a long time, peace returned. But the leader of the thieves still wanted revenge. One day, disguised as a merchant once again, he returned to town and opened a shop across from Ali Baba’s eldest son, who had now grown up. The thief pretended to be a friendly merchant, selling fine silks and jewels at low prices. Gradually, he gained the young man’s trust and was invited to dinner at Ali Baba’s house.
When the evening came, the thief accepted the invitation. Morgiana, ever watchful, recognized him at once as the same oil merchant. Though he had changed his clothes and face, she saw a small scar that she remembered. Without telling anyone, she prepared the dinner carefully. After everyone had eaten, she asked if she could perform a dance to entertain them. Ali Baba agreed gladly. Morgiana appeared dressed like a dancer, holding a dagger in her hand, and began to dance gracefully before the guests. Everyone clapped and cheered, not knowing her plan. As she danced closer and closer to the merchant, her eyes never left his face.
Then, in one swift movement, Morgiana plunged the dagger into his heart. The thief fell dead instantly. Ali Baba and his son were shocked, but Morgiana quickly explained who the man truly was—the leader of the forty thieves who had come again to kill them all. Ali Baba was overcome with gratitude and joy. He embraced Morgiana, thanking her for saving their lives not once but twice. To reward her courage, he gave her freedom and married her to his son, making her part of the family.
After this, Ali Baba went to the cave again. Saying “Open, Sesame!” he entered fearlessly, for now all the thieves were gone forever. He carried away enough treasure to make his family rich for many generations. Yet, he never became greedy or proud. He helped the poor of the village, built a fine house, and lived peacefully with his family. The secret of “Open, Sesame” was kept safe, passed down only through his children and grandchildren, who used the treasure wisely and kindly.
And so, Ali Baba, the humble woodcutter who once struggled to feed his family, became a symbol of honesty, courage, and the power of wisdom over greed. The cave remained hidden in the forest, silent and still, waiting for another heart as pure as Ali Baba’s to discover its secret someday.