Once upon a time, in a distant land, there lived a poor woodcutter named Ali Baba. He was a humble man who eked out a meager living by cutting firewood in the forest.
One day, while Ali Baba was working in the woods, he saw a band of forty thieves approaching on horseback. They stopped near a large boulder, and their leader, a wicked man named Cassim, approached the rock and said, "Open, Sesame!" To Ali Baba's astonishment, the rock magically split in two, revealing a hidden cave filled with treasures.
The thieves entered the cave, and after a while, they came out and said, "Close, Sesame!" The rock closed, hiding the cave's entrance once again.
Ali Baba, who had been hiding behind a tree, waited for the thieves to leave. When he was sure they were gone, he went to the rock and said, "Open, Sesame!" The rock obediently split in two, revealing the hidden cave of treasures. Ali Baba entered the cave and marveled at the incredible wealth he saw.
He decided to take some of the treasure home to provide for his family. Ali Baba loaded his donkey with bags of gold and silver coins, precious jewels, and valuable silks. He covered the treasure with firewood and left the cave, making sure to say, "Close, Sesame!" before he left.
Ali Baba's brother, Cassim, was curious about how Ali Baba suddenly became so wealthy. Ali Baba, fearing that Cassim would steal from the treasure cave, reluctantly shared his secret. However, Cassim was not cautious like Ali Baba. He went to the cave the next day and, finding it easily, shouted, "Open, Sesame!"
Cassim entered the cave and began to greedily gather treasures. He filled his bags with gold and silver but forgot the magic words to exit the cave. Panicking, he cried, "Open, Barley!" and "Open, Wheat!" but nothing worked.
The thieves returned and found Cassim in their cave. Furious at the intrusion, they killed him. When Cassim didn't return home, Ali Baba grew worried and went to the cave. There, he discovered his brother's lifeless body.
To avoid suspicion, Ali Baba buried his brother secretly. He also took Cassim's family into his care to protect them.
The thieves, meanwhile, were determined to find out who had discovered their secret hideout. They devised a plan to infiltrate the town by posing as oil merchants. The leader's clever and cunning slave, Morgiana, noticed that the thieves' oil jars had sharp knives hidden inside.
Morgiana hatched a plan to uncover the thieves' identity. She poured boiling oil into the jars, killing the thieves inside. When the leader came to Ali Baba's house to inquire about his missing men, Morgiana outwitted him and killed him too.
The town was finally rid of the Forty Thieves, thanks to Ali Baba and Morgiana's cleverness. Ali Baba and his family lived happily ever after, enjoying the treasures from the cave, and Morgiana became a cherished member of their household.
And so, the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves teaches us that wit and resourcefulness can triumph over even the most cunning of villains, and that greed can lead to one's downfall.