Once upon a time in the kingdom of Iraq, there were two brothers, Cassim and Ali Baba. Cassim, the elder brother, inherited all of their parents’ wealth and married a rich woman, living a life of luxury and ease. Ali Baba, in contrast, chose not to fight for his share of the inheritance and married a poor woman, leading a modest life barely enough to survive. Every day, he went into the forest to chop wood, which he sold to earn a living. Despite seeing his brother struggle, Cassim and his wife neither helped him nor showed any sympathy, often treating him with coldness and disdain. Yet Ali Baba never let this affect him; he continued to visit his brother and sister-in-law out of duty and respect.
One day, while gathering firewood in the forest, Ali Baba loaded the wood into two sacks on either side of his donkey. As he prepared to return home, he noticed a cloud of dust rising in the distance, accompanied by the thunder of galloping horses. Alarmed, Ali Baba led his donkey into a thick bush to hide, carefully observing the approaching riders. Soon, forty armed horsemen stopped beside a massive rock that looked like a mountain, completely covered in moss and trees. From a distance, it appeared as an ordinary green hill. Ali Baba counted them all, noticing that each man carried one or more large sacks from their horses. The leader raised his hands to the sky and shouted, “Open, Sesame!” To Ali Baba’s amazement, the rock opened like a door, revealing a deep, dark cave. The men entered, the leader being the last, and once inside, he commanded, “Close, Sesame!” The rock sealed again, ordinary and unremarkable as before.
Curiosity drove Ali Baba to approach the rock once the bandits had left. He cautiously repeated the magical words, and the entrance opened, revealing the cave. He led his donkey inside and closed the door behind him with the same phrase. Inside, a faint light guided him forward, and soon he came upon a treasure beyond imagination. Gold, silver, diamonds, precious jewels, luxurious silks, and exquisite carpets filled the cave, more than any fairy tale could describe. Realizing that the forty men were robbers who stored stolen goods here, Ali Baba thought, “I must leave before they return, or my life could be in danger.” Yet, unable to resist, he carefully filled his sacks with as much treasure as he could carry, hiding it beneath the firewood, and left the cave safely.
At home, Ali Baba’s wife was shocked and worried, fearing he had stolen from the rich. “Even though we are poor, we have always lived honestly. Why risk everything for such immoral acts?” Ali Baba reassured her, recounting the entire adventure. Her fear soon turned to excitement as they examined the treasure together. To count it more easily, Ali Baba suggested borrowing a large measuring container from Cassim’s house. The wife of Cassim found it unusual but agreed, secretly spreading tar inside the container to see what Ali Baba would measure. Ali Baba and his wife measured the treasure carefully, unaware that a gold coin stuck to the bottom. When the container was returned, Cassim’s wife discovered the coin and exclaimed in shock, “Could they really be wealthy enough to measure gold with a rice container?” She rushed home to tell Cassim, sparking both jealousy and curiosity.
Driven by an overwhelming desire to see the treasure for himself, Cassim decided to visit Ali Baba. Upon arrival, he confronted his brother, his eyes fixed on the single gold coin stuck to the bottom of the measuring container, and demanded an explanation. “What is this?” he asked sharply. “Have you been hiding wealth all this time while pretending to be poor?” Realizing that his secret could no longer be kept, Ali Baba carefully recounted the entire story, from his journey into the forest, the encounter with the forty thieves, discovering the hidden cave, to the astonishing treasure within. He even disclosed the magical words that would open and close the entrance, speaking with caution to ensure his brother understood the power of the secret.
Filled with excitement and greed, Cassim rushed home to tell his wife about the discovery. His mind raced with visions of unimaginable wealth and luxury. That very next morning, his desire for riches had completely consumed him. He prepared ten strong, large donkeys, each loaded with heavy sacks. Dressed in the rough clothing of a woodcutter to avoid suspicion, he set out determinedly toward the hidden cave. Upon reaching the location, he carefully followed Ali Baba’s instructions and spoke the magical words. The massive rock parted, revealing the treasure-filled cave in all its dazzling glory. Gold coins glittered in piles, gemstones sparkled like tiny suns, silks and carpets of incredible beauty lay stacked in neat rows, and the sheer abundance of treasure left him momentarily breathless.
Overcome by avarice, Cassim immediately set to work. He stuffed the sacks on the backs of the donkeys, crammed coins and jewels into his clothes, and filled any remaining space he could find with gold. He imagined the life of comfort, opulence, and power that awaited him, blinded entirely by his own greed. For a moment, it seemed as though nothing could go wrong.
But as he prepared to leave, panic struck. Cassim had forgotten the magical words needed to close the cave. Frantically, he tried every possible variation, whispering, shouting, and repeating countless combinations, but the heavy stone door remained immovable. His heart pounded in terror as the realization sank in. If the thieves returned while he was trapped inside, there would be no escape. Hours passed with no solution, and fear gnawed at him relentlessly.
Suddenly, he heard the distant sound of hooves approaching. The forty thieves had returned. In a desperate, last-ditch attempt, Cassim tried to force his way out, shoving and pushing against the massive stone, hoping for a miracle. But it was too late. The thieves intercepted him almost immediately. Surrounded and overpowered, Cassim’s greed had led him straight into the hands of the very men whose treasure he had coveted. In a tragic and violent end, the robbers killed him, leaving the cave and its riches untouched and perilous for anyone who dared to challenge it.