Arabian Nights: 283rd Night: Ali Baba & Forty Thieves - 6

The following night Shahrazad said: 

Ali Baba had already went to bed.

The captain of the robbers had been planning to destroy Ali Baba, and entered the final phase of his plan. Thirty seven robbers in the thirty seven jars with weapons and the thirty eighth jar was filled with oil.

The captain went to the yard, and took off the lid of each jar and gave his men orders what to do. Beginning from the first jar he said to each man, "As soon as I throw some stones out of the chamber window where I sleep, do not fail to come out, and I will immediately join you."  After this he went into the house, when Marjaneh taking up a light conducted him to his chamber.

Marjaneh remembered Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing linen ready, and ordered Abd-Allah to set on the pot for broth.  While it was preparing the lamp went out, and there was no more oil in the house.  So she took the oil pot, and went into the yard, and when she came near the first jar, the robber within said softly, "Is it time?"   Without showing her amazement, she answered, "Not yet, but soon." She went quickly in this manner to all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil.

Marjaneh found that her master Ali Baba had admitted thirty eight robbers into his house, and the oil merchant was in fact their captain.  She hurriedly filled her oil pot and returned to her kitchen, lighted her lamp, took a great kettle, went again to  the oil jar, set it on a large fire wood, and as soon as it boiled, went and poured enough into every jar to stifle and destroy the robber within.  When she had done this, she returned into the kitchen; and having put out the great fire she had made to boil the oil, and leaving just enough to make the broth, put out the lamp also, and remained silent, resolving not to go to the rest till she had observed what might follow through a window of the kitchen that opened into the yard.  She had not waited long, the captain of the robbers got up, opened the window, and finding no light and hearing no noise, or anyone stirring in the house, gave the appointed signal, by throwing little stones at the jars.  He then listened, but not hearing or seeing anything, he began to grow uneasy, threw stones again a second and third time, and could not comprehend the reason why none of them should answer his signal.  Much alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and going to the first jar, while asking the robber, whom he thought alive, if he was in readiness, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam out of the jar.  Hence he suspected that his plot to murder Ali Baba and plunder his house was discovered.  Examining all the jars one by one he found that all his gang were dead; enraged to despair at having failed in his design, he forced the lock of the door that led from the yard to the garden, and climbing over the walls made his escape.

When Marjaneh saw him depart, she went to bed, satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master and family.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.


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