Arabian Nights: 284th Night: Ali Baba & Forty Thieves - 7

The following night Shahrazad said:

It was said that the captain of the robbers escaped after his great loss at the house of Ali Baba. Marjaneh [1] the slave girl whose diligence saved Ali Baba of his life and property, went to bed satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master.

Ali Baba rose before dawn, unaware of the incidents which had taken place, went to bath followed by Abd-Allah.  When he returned he was surprised to see the oil jars, and the mules, and asked Marjaneh why the merchant did not leave. "O my master," answered she, "God preserved you and your family.  You will be better informed of what you wish to know when you have seen what I have to show you, if you will follow me."  Then she bade him look into the first jar, and see if there was any oil.  Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started back in alarm, cried out.

"Be not afraid," said Marjaneh, "the man you see can neither do you or anyone else any harm.  He is dead."

"O Marjaneh," said Ali Baba, "what is it you showed me?" 

"Control your alarm," replied Marjaneh, "and do not excite the curiosity of the neighbours; it is of great importance to keep this affair a secret.  Look into all other jars."

Ali Baba examined all other jars, one after another, and when he came to that which had oil in, found it prodigiously sunk, and stood motionless for some time, and then looked at Marjaneh, without saying a word.  So great was his surprise.  Then Marjaneh said all that took place, what she had done, from the first observing the mark upon the door of the house to the destruction of robbers and the flight of their captain.

After Marjaneh had given her account, All Baba said to her, "God, by your means had delivered me from the snares these robbers had laid for me.  I owe my life to you; and in acknowledgement of this, I give you your liberty from this moment, till I can complete your recompense as I intend."

Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at further end by a great number of large trees.  Near these he and the slave Abd-Allah dug a trench, long and wide enough to hold the bodies of the robbers; and as the earth was light, they were not long in doing it.  When this was done, Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons; and as he had no occasion for the mules, he sent them at different times to be sold in the market by his slave.

In the meantime, the captain of the robbers returned with unbelievable embarassment and shame.  He did not stay long in the forest; the loneliness of the gloomy cavern was frightful to him.  He determined,  however, to avenge the fate of his companions, and to accomplish the death of Ali Baba.  For this he returned to the town and took a lodging in a caravansary, and disguised himself as a silk merchant.

He remained in this situation and gradually bought and sold rich stuffs.

He stocked the merchandise in a building opposite to Kasim's shop, which was now occupied by Ali Baba's son.

The captain of the robbers took the name of Khoja Hoseyn, and as a new comer was extremely civil and pleasing in his dealings.  He took particular efforts to widen his circle of acquaintance.  Two or three days after he was settled, Ali Baba came to see his son, and the captain recognised him at once.  He soon learned that the young man was Ali Baba's son.  After this the captain engaged the young man with great care and friendship.  Often he invited the young man to dine and sup with him. One day two of them met by prior appointment.  They took a walk along the streets, and Ali Baba's son took him through the street where Ali Baba lived.  When they reached in front of Ali Baba's house, the son stopped and knocked at the door. "This," he said, "is my father's house.  He is eager to see you when I told of you to him."

This invitation very much pleased Khoja Hoseyn. "Something fell into my lap," he thought. But at the same instant a foreboding checked him and he turned to leave.  But the slave having opened the door, the young man took him by hand and led him in.

Ali Baba received Khoja Hoseyn with a smiling countenance and greeted him pleasingly.  He thanked him for all the favours he had done to his son.  After some time, Khoja Hoseyn offered again to take his leave. 

"Where are you going in so much haste?" asked Ali Baba.  I beg you would do me the honour to sup with me; though my entertainment may not be worthy of your acceptance.

"O, my master," replied Khoja Hoseyn, "I am thoroughly persuaded; but the truth is I can eat no food that have any salt in them. Therefore, judge, how should I feel at your table." 

"If that is only the reason," said Ali Baba, "it ought not to deprive me of the honour of your company; for there is no salt ever put into my bread, and as to meat we shall have tonight, I promise you there shall be none in that.  Therefore do me the favour to stay."

Then Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and ordered Marjaneh not to put salt in the meat that was to be dressed for the night.  He also proposed her to make two or three dishes of her choice.  But all of them should be without salt.  Marjaneh was surprised to hear this without salt food.  "Who is this strange man," she said to herself, "who eats meat without salt?" She was curious to see this man who eats meat without salt.

When the food was ready, she helped Abd-Allah to  carry up them to the guest.  Looking up at Khoja Hoseyn she recognised him as the captain of the robbers. She observed carefully and found the dagger hidden under his garments.  "I am not mistaken," she said to herself, "this is that wicked man, my master's greatest enemy, but I will stop him."

While Abdullah had begun serving the course of the fruits, Marjaneh retired from the scene.  She dressed herself neatly, with a suitable head dress, like a dancer, and girded her waist with a silver-gilt girdle, to which were hung a poniard [2] with a hilt and a guard of the same metal, and put a handsome veil on her face.  By this time Abd-Allah came back after serving the fruits.  She said to Abd-Allah, "Take your tabor and let us go, and divert our new guest." 

Abd-Allah took his tabor and played all the way into the hall before Marjaneh.  When she came to the door made a bow and asked permission to exhibit her skill. 

"Come in, Marjaneh," said Ali Baba, "let Khoja Hoseyn see what you can do, that he may tell us what he thinks of your performance."

Marjaneh began her steps, and after several dances with much grace, she drew the poinard, and holding it in her hand, she began a new item in which she outdid herself, by the many different figures, light movements, and the surprising leaps and wonderful exertions with which she accompanied it.  Sometimes she pointed the poinard to one breast, sometimes to another, and often she seemed to strike her own.  At last she snatched the tabor from Abd-Allah with her left hand, and holding her dagger in her right, presented the other side of the tabor, after the manner of those who get a livelihood by dancing and solicited the liberality of the spectators.

Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as did also his son; and Khoja Hoseyn, seeing that she was coming to him, pulled his purse out of his bosom to make her a present; but while he was putting his hand into it, Marjaneh plunged the poinard into his heart.

Ali Baba and his son were shocked.

"Ill-omened woman!" exclaimed Ali Baba.  "What have you done to ruin me and my family?"

"It was to preserve, not to ruin you," answered Marjaneh, "for see here," continued she, opening Khoja Hoseyn's garments, and showing the dagger, "what an enemy you had entertained!  Look well at him, and you will find the pretended oil merchant and the captain of the gang of robbers.  Remember that he would eat no salt with you, and I had suspected as soon as he told you that.  I knew him, and you now find that my suspicion was not groundless."

Marjaneh has saved his life a second time. He embraced her and said, "Marjaneh, I gave you your liberty, but you did not leave me. You are such a faithful servant." Then he turned to his son and said, "I believe you, my son, a dutiful child. You will not refuse Marjaneh as your wife. You found that Khoja Hoseyn had a treacherous design. If he had succeeded he would have sacrificed you also to his revenge.  Consider that by marrying Marjaneh you marry the preserver of your family."

After a few days Ali Baba had celebrated the nuptials of his son and Marjaneh with great solemnity. His neighbours did not know the true reason for the marriage.  But they praised Marjaneh's good qualities and weighed it with Ali Baba's virtues and generosity.

For the next two years Ali Baba did not venture to visit the robbers' cave, because he suspected that two robbers were still alive.  But these years he did not find any attempts by them.  One day he mounted his horse and went to the cave in the forest.  At the mouth of the cave he alighted, tied his horse to a tree, came to the door of the cave, pronounced the words, "Open, Simsim!" The door was opened.  He found that nobody had visited the cave after the death of the captain. The entire treasure was his. He put as much gold in his saddle bags, as his horse could carry, and returned to the town.  Some years later he took his son to the cave and taught him the secret, which he handed down to his son. They used their fortune with moderation.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.

Notes:-

1. Marjaneh:- The name also spelled as Marjana or Marjanah is of Iranian Arabic origin, meaning little coral or precious coral. The suffix eh or ah is often added as a diminutive or affectionate form.  The name carries a poetic connotation - beauty, unique and delicate - much like a jewel from the sea. 

2. Poinard: Small and slim dagger