Arab Mythology:
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
People have been telling stories since the beginning of time. Some of them are factual, while others are fiction. The custom of passing down stories through generations predates literacy and writing. We connected with one another not only through fables and legends, but also by ensuring the survival and flourishing of society. Legends and myths from different cultures and countries are said to have arisen among the people of Arabia. Arabian mythology is based on the Arabs’ pre-Islamic beliefs. In Arabian Nights and other works, genie tales, ghoul stories, magic lamps, floating carpets, and wishes have been passed down over time.
The tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,”, also known as the Arabian Nights in English, is included in several versions of One Thousand and One Nights, a compilation of Middle Eastern legends in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. This story is one of the most well-known, at least in the Western world, due to its straightforward plot and easily digestible themes of loyalty and honesty. It also coined the term “open sesame,” which explains its popularity. However, there are a few interesting things about this tale that are less well-known.
Ali Baba and Kassim are two Persian brothers. Kassim has a wealthy wife, while Ali Baba struggles to support himself and his family. Ali Baba was cutting firewood in the forest one day, cursing his bad luck, when he saw an approaching band of robbers carrying loot. He hides in a tree, terrified, and watches as the captain of the thieves recites the words “Open Sesame!” to open a magical portal in a boulder. The portal closes behind them as they enter. Ali Baba believes they’re stowing their valuables in the cavern. The captain uses the same terms to close the portal before leaving the cavern after they unburdened their loot. When they vanish, Ali Baba raids the cave himself and discovers it is brimming with valuables. He gathers as much gold as his mules can carry and returns it to his beloved. It’s enough money to last a lifetime. Ali Baba’s wife borrows a scale from Kassim’s wife to weigh the gold before Ali Baba hides it.
Kassim and his wife beg Ali Baba to tell them his secret, and he agrees. Kassim arrives at the cavern and is astounded as well. Regrettably, he forgets the mystical words and is lost inside the cavern. When the 40 robbers return, they kill him, quarter his body, and hang him in the cave to frighten off any other intruders. When Kassim does not return, Ali Baba investigates and discovers Kassim’s body, which he takes home with him. He agrees with Kassim’s wife, to marry her after a the mourning period, and Kassim’s maid, Morjana, quietly buries the body She accomplishes this by blindfolding Baba Mustafa, a cobbler, where she takes him to a nondescript place, so he can reassemble Kassim’s body without knowing the house or relatives.
Meanwhile, the robbers notice that the body has gone missing and that the cave is well-known to others. The captain sends one of the thieves into town to investigate reports of strange deaths. When the thief encounters Baba Mustafa, he discovers that he has recently stitched up a body. The thief blindfolds the cobbler, allowing him to retrace his steps back to the building, which he then labels with white chalk so the rest of the band can find it. Morjana, on the other hand, notices the mark and suspects that something is wrong. She even chalks a few nearby houses to thwart the scheme.
When the thieves return and discover that they were duped, the captain kills the man who discovered the house and dispatches another to find it. A blindfolded Baba Mustafa takes the thief to Ali Baba’s residence, which is now marked by a Red crab. Morjana watches and marks the same on other households. The thieves are perplexed once more that night, and the captain kills the second man before deciding to carry out the mission himself. He memorizes the location,, but he uses the same technique as Baba Mustafa.
Then he returns to the house, posing as a gasoline dealer in search of a place to stay for the night. Just one container of oil is concealed in oil puddles brought by the mules and in the others, the thieves are hiding. They want to break into Baba’s room and murder him while he is sleeping. When Morgiana goes out to get some oil, she finds the men in the jars and boils the oil in the final pot, killing them all. The captain investigates himself later that night and flees before being killed.
But the danger isn’t over; the captain is out for vengeance. To be invited to dinner, he disguises himself as a merchant and befriends Ali Baba’s son. Morjana notices something out of the ordinary and devises a plan of action. She and another servant perform for the men, and she stabs him during her dance. When Ali Baba discovers the truth, he approaches Morjana and asks her to marry his son. Ali Baba is now the only person alive who knows the hidden words of the cave, so he only tells his sons about it, and they all live happily ever after.
