to Ali Baba full of gold and silver. One, whom he took to be
their captain, came under the tree in which Ali Baba was concealed;
and, making his way through some shrubs, spoke the words, "Open,
Sesame." As soon as the captain of the robbers said this, a door
opened in the rock, and after he had made all his troop enter before
him, he followed them, when the door shut again of itself.

The robbers stayed some time within, and Ali Baba, fearful of being
caught, remained in the tree. At last the door opened again, and the
captain came out first, and stood to see all the troop pass by him.
Then Ali Baba heard him make the door close by saying, "Shut, Sesame."
Every man at once bridled his horse, fastened his wallet, and mounted
again. When the captain saw them all ready, he put himself at their
head, and they returned the way they had come.

Ali Baba watched them out of sight, and then waited some time before
coming down. Wishing to see whether the captain's words would have the
same effect if he should speak them, he found the door hidden in the
shrubs, stood before it, and said, "Open, Sesame." Instantly the door
flew wide open.

Instead of a dark, dismal cavern, Ali Baba was surprised to see a
large chamber, well lighted from the top, and in it all sorts of
provisions, rich bales of silk, stuff, brocade, and carpeting, gold
and silver ingots in great heaps, and money in bags.

Ali Baba went boldly into the cave, and collected as much of the gold
coin, which was in bags, as he thought his asses could carry. When he
had loaded them with the bags, he laid wood over them so that they
could not be seen, and, passing out of the door for the last time,
stood before it and said, "Shut, Sesame." The door closed of itself,
and he made the best of his way to town.

When he reached home, he carefully closed the gate of his little yard,
threw off the wood, and carried the bags into the house. They were
emptied before his wife, and the great heap of gold dazzled her eyes.
Then he told her the whole adventure, and warned her, above all
things, to keep it secret.

Ali Baba would not let her take the time to count it out as she
wished, but said, "I will dig a hole and bury it."

[Illustration: HE CAREFULLY CLOSED THE GATE OF HIS LITTLE YARD, THREW
OFF THE WOOD, AND CARRIED THE BAGS INTO THE HOUSE. THEY WERE EMPTIED
BEFORE HIS WIFE, AND THE GREAT HEAP OF GOLD DAZZLED HER EYES. THEN HE
TOLD HER THE WHOLE ADVENTURE, AND WARNED HER,