who had almost
finished digging the hole. When Ali Baba was burying the gold, his
wife, to show her exactness and diligence to her sister-in-law,
carried the measure back again, but without taking notice that a piece
of gold had stuck to the bottom.

"Sister," said she, giving it to her again, "you see that I have not
kept your measure long. I am obliged to you for it, and return it with
thanks."

As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's looked at the bottom of
the measure, and was in inexpressible surprise to find a piece of gold
sticking to it. Envy immediately possessed her breast.

"What!" said she, "has Ali Baba gold so plentiful as to measure it?
Whence has he all this wealth?"

Cassim, her husband, was at his counting house. When he came home his
wife said to him, "Cassim, I know you think yourself rich, but Ali
Baba is infinitely richer than you. He does not count his money, but
measures it."

Cassim desired her to explain the riddle, which she did, by telling
him the stratagem she had used to make the discovery, and showed him
the piece of money, which was so old that they could not tell in what
prince's reign it was coined.

Cassim, after he had married the rich widow, had never treated Ali
Baba as a brother, but neglected him; and now, instead of being
pleased, he conceived a base envy at his brother's prosperity. He
could not sleep all that night, and went to him in the morning before
sunrise.

"Ali Baba," said he, "I am surprised at you. You pretend to be
miserably poor, and yet you measure gold. My wife found this at the
bottom of the measure you borrowed yesterday."

By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his wife,
through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much reason to
conceal; but what was done could not be undone. Therefore, without
showing the least surprise or trouble, he confessed all, and offered
his brother part of his treasure to keep the secret.

"I expect as much," replied Cassim haughtily; "but I must know exactly
where this treasure is, and how I may visit it myself when I choose.
Otherwise I will go and inform against you, and then you will not only
get no more, but will lose all you have, and I shall have a share for
my information."

Ali Baba told him all he desired, even to the very words he was to use
to gain admission into the cave.

Cassim rose the next morning long before the sun, and set out for the
forest with ten mules bearing great ch