nd told him that, if he
desired it, he would bring him news from the army before night.

The King promised him a great sum of money upon that condition. Little
Thumb was as good as his word, and returned that very same night with
the news; and, this first expedition causing him to be known, he got
whatever he pleased, for the King paid him very well for carrying his
orders to the army. After having for some time carried on the business
of a messenger, and gained thereby great wealth, he went home to his
father, where it was impossible to express the joy they were all in at
his return. He made the whole family very easy, bought places for his
father and brothers, and, by that means, settled them very handsomely in
the world, and, in the meantime, made his court to perfection.(1)

(1) Charles Perrault.

THE FORTY THIEVES

In a town in Persia there dwelt two brothers, one named Cassim, the
other Ali Baba. Cassim was married to a rich wife and lived in plenty,
while Ali Baba had to maintain his wife and children by cutting wood in
a neighboring forest and selling it in the town. One day, when Ali Baba
was in the forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming toward him
in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they were robbers, and climbed into
a tree for safety. When they came up to him and dismounted, he counted
forty of them. They unbridled their horses and tied them to trees. The
finest man among them, whom Ali Baba took to be their captain, went a
little way among some bushes, and said: "Open, Sesame!"(1) so plainly
that Ali Baba heard him. A door opened in the rocks, and having made the
troop go in, he followed them, and the door shut again of itself. They
stayed some time inside, and Ali Baba, fearing they might come out and
catch him, was forced to sit patiently in the tree. At last the door
opened again, and the Forty Thieves came out. As the Captain went in
last he came out first, and made them all pass by him; he then closed
the door, saying: "Shut, Sesame!" Every man bridled his horse and
mounted, the Captain put himself at their head, and they returned as
they came.

(1) Sesame is a kind of grain.

Then Ali Baba climbed down and went to the door concealed among the
bushes, and said: "Open, Sesame!" and it flew open. Ali Baba, who
expected a dull, dismal place, was greatly surprised to find it large
and well lighted, hollowed by the hand of man in the form of a vault,
which received the light f