rom an opening in the ceiling. He saw rich
bales of merchandise--silk, stuff-brocades, all piled together, and gold
and silver in heaps, and money in leather purses. He went in and the
door shut behind him. He did not look at the silver, but brought out as
many bags of gold as he thought his asses, which were browsing outside,
could carry, loaded them with the bags, and hid it all with fagots.
Using the words: "Shut, Sesame!" he closed the door and went home.

Then he drove his asses into the yard, shut the gates, carried the
money-bags to his wife, and emptied them out before her. He bade her
keep the secret, and he would go and bury the gold. "Let me first
measure it," said his wife. "I will go borrow a measure of someone,
while you dig the hole." So she ran to the wife of Cassim and borrowed a
measure. Knowing Ali Baba's poverty, the sister was curious to find out
what sort of grain his wife wished to measure, and artfully put some
suet at the bottom of the measure. Ali Baba's wife went home and set the
measure on the heap of gold, and filled it and emptied it often, to her
great content. She then carried it back to her sister, without noticing
that a piece of gold was sticking to it, which Cassim's wife perceived
directly her back was turned. She grew very curious, and said to Cassim
when he came home: "Cassim, your brother is richer than you. He does not
count his money, he measures it." He begged her to explain this riddle,
which she did by showing him the piece of money and telling him where
she found it. Then Cassim grew so envious that he could not sleep, and
went to his brother in the morning before sunrise. "Ali Baba," he said,
showing him the gold piece, "you pretend to be poor and yet you measure
gold." By this Ali Baba perceived that through his wife's folly Cassim
and his wife knew their secret, so he confessed all and offered Cassim a
share. "That I expect," said Cassim; "but I must know where to find the
treasure, otherwise I will discover all, and you will lose all." Ali
Baba, more out of kindness than fear, told him of the cave, and the very
words to use. Cassim left Ali Baba, meaning to be beforehand with him
and get the treasure for himself. He rose early next morning, and set
out with ten mules loaded with great chests. He soon found the place,
and the door in the rock. He said: "Open, Sesame!" and the door opened
and shut behind him. He could have feasted his eyes all day on the
treasures, but he n