Arabian Nights: 280th Night: Ali Baba & Forty Thieves - 3: Marjaneh, the deligent slave girl

The following night Shahrazad said:

Kasim's wife was uneasy.  Her husband did not return.  Alarmed, she ran to Ali Baba. "Brother-in-law," she said, "You know, Kasim has gone to the forest, and upon what account; it is now night, and he has not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has happened to him."

After midnight Ali Baba departed to the forest with his three asses.  When he came near the rock, having seen neither his brother nor his mules in his way, was alarmed at finding some blood split near the door, which he took for an ill-omen; but when he pronounced the words, and she door had opened, he was struck with horror at the dismal sight of his brother's body.  He went into the cave, however, to find something to enshroud the remains; and having loaded one of his asses with them, covered them over with wood.  The other two asses he loaded with gold, covering them also with wood; then bidding the door shut came away.  When he came home, he drove two asses loaded with gold into his yard, and left the care of unloading them to his wife, while he led the other to his sister-in-law's house.

There he knocked at the door, which was opened by Marjaneh, a clever slave girl, who was fruitful in inventions to meet the most difficult circumstances.  When he came into the courtyard, he unloaded the ass, and taking Marjaneh aside, said to her, "You must observe an inviolable secrecy.  Your master's body is contained in these two panniers.  We must bury him as if he had died a natural death.  Go now and tell your mistress.  I leave the matter to your wit and skilful devices.

Next morning, Marjaneh went out early to a druggist, and asked for a sort of lozenge which was considered efficacious in most dangerous disorders.  The apothecary inquired who was ill.  She replied with a sigh, "My master Kasim himself; and that he could neither eat nor speak."  In the evening Marjaneh went to the same druggist again, and with tears in her eyes, asked for an essence which they used to give to sick people only when at the last extremity.  "Alas!" said she taking it from the apothecary, "I am afraid that this remedy will have no better effect than the lozenges, and that I shall lose my good master."

All that day Ali Baba and his wife were seen going between Kasim's and their own house, and nobody was surprised in the evening hear the lamentable shrieks and cries of Kasim's wife and Marjaneh, who gave out everywhere, that her master was dead.  The next morning, at daybreak, Marjaneh went to an old cobbler, whom she knew to be always early at his stall, and bidding him good morrow put a piece of gold into his hand, saying, "Baba, Mustafa, you must bring with you your sewing tackle, and come with me; but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you when you come to such a place."

Baba Mustafa seemed to hesitate a little at these words, "Oh, oh!" replied he, "You would have me do something against my conscience or against my honour?"  "God forbid." said Marjaneh, putting another piece of gold into his hand, "that I should ask anything that is contrary to your honour!  Only come along with me and fear nothing."

Baba Mustafa went with Marjaneh, who bound his eyes with a handkerchief and conveyed him to her deceased master's house, and ushered him to the spot where she had put the corpse together.  "Baba," said she, "sew the parts of this body together; and when you have done, I will give you another piece of gold."

She removed the handkerchief on his eyes.

After Baba Mustafa had finished his work, she blindfolded him again, gave him the third piece of gold, and recommending secrecy to him, carried him to the place where she first bound his eyes, unfolded the bandage, and let him go home, and watched him that he returned to his stall, till he was out of sight, for fear he should have the curiosity to return and follow her.  She then went home, and warmed some water to wash the body, and Ali Baba perfumed it with incense and wrapped it in burial clothes. Not long after they brought the bier, and Imam and other ministers of the mosque arrived.  Four neighbours carried the corpse to the burial ground, following the Imam, who recited prayers.  Ali Baba came after, and Marjaneh followed in the procession, weeping, beating her breast and tearing her hair.  Kasim's wife stayed at home mourning, uttering lamentable cries with the women of the neighborhood, who came according to custom, and joining their lamentations with hers, filled the quarter far and near with sounds of grief.

Three or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba removed some of his goods openly to his sister-in-law's house, in which he would live in future.  The money he took from the robbers he removed therein, in the darkness of the night.  As for the Kasim's shop, he entrusted it to the management of Kasim's eldest son.

While the forty robbers again visited their retreat. They found that the body of Kasim was missing.  Also missing, was some portion of their gold.  "We are certainly discovered," said their captain.  The removal of the body, and the loss of some gold, clearly shows that the man whom we killed has an accomplice.  And for our own sake we must find him.  What say you, my son's?"

All the robbers unanimously approved the captain's proposal.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.