OF A PROMISE KEPT
Lafcadio Hearn
(A Japanese Story)
"I shall return in the early autumn," said Akana
Soyëmon several hundred
years ago, — when bidding good-bye to his brother
by adoption, young
Hasébé Samon. The time was spring; and the place
was the village of Kato in
the province of Harima. Akana was an Izumo
samurai; and he wanted to visit
his birthplace.
Hasébé said: "Your Izumo, — the Country of the
Eight-Cloud Rising,2 — is very distant.
Perhaps it will therefore be difficult for you to
promise to return here upon
any particular day. But, if we were to know the exact
day, we should feel
happier. We could then prepare a feast of welcome;
and we could watch at the
gateway for your coming."
"Why, as for that," responded Akana, "I have been
so much accustomed to
travel that I can usually tell beforehand how long it
will take me to reach a
place; and I can safely promise you to be here upon a
particular day. Suppose
we say the day of the festival Chôyô?"
"That is the ninth day of the ninth month," said
Hasébé; — "then the
chrysanthemums will be in bloom, and we can go
together to look at them.
How pleasant! . . . So you promise to come back on
the ninth day of the ninth
month?"
"On the ninth day of the ninth month," repeated
Akana, smiling farewell.
Then he strode away from the village of Kato in the
province of Harima; —
and Hasébé Samon and the mother of Hasébé looked
after him with tears in
their eyes.
"Neither the Sun nor the Moon," says an old
Japanese proverb, "ever halt
upon their journey." Swiftly the months went by; and
the autumn came, —
the season of chrysanthemums. And early upon the
morning of the ninth day
of the ninth month Hasébé prepared to welcome his
adopted brother. He
made ready a feast of good things, bought wine,
decorated the guest-room,
and filled the vases of the alcove with
chrysanthemums of two colors. Then
his mother, watching him, said: — "The province of
Izumo, my son, is more than one hundred ri
3 from this place; and the journey thence over the
mountains is difficult and weary; and you cannot be
sure that Akana will be
able to come to-day. Would it not be better, before
you take all this trouble, to
wait for his coming?" "Nay, mother!" Hasébé made
answer — "Akana
promised to be here to-day: he could not break a
promise! And if he were to
see us beginning to make preparation after his
arrival, he would know that
we had doubted his word; and we should be put to
shame."
The day was beautiful, the sky without a cloud, and
the air so pure that the
world seemed to be a thousand miles wider than
usual. In the morning many
travellers passed through the village — some of
them samurai; and Hasébé,
watching each as he came, more than once imagined
that he saw Akana
approaching. But the temple-bells sounded the hour
of midday; and Akana
did not appear. Through the afternoon also Hasébé
watched and waited in
vain. The sun set; and still there was no sign of
Akana. Nevertheless Hasébé
remained at the gate, gazing down the road. Later his
mother went to him,
and said: — "The mind of a man, my son, — as our
proverb declares — may
change as quickly as the sky of autumn. But your
chrysanthemum-flowers
will still be fresh to-morrow. Better now to sleep;
and in the morning you can
watch again for Akana, if you wish." "Rest well,
mother," returned Hasébé; —
"but I still believe that he will come." Then the
mother went to her own room;
and Hasébé lingered at the gate.
The night was pure as the day had been: all the sky
throbbed with stars; and
the white River of Heaven shimmered with unusual
splendor. The village
slept; — the silence was broken only by the noise of
a little brook, and by the
far-away barking of peasants' dogs. Hasébé still
waited, — waited until he
saw the thin moon sink behind the neighboring hills.
Then at last he began to
doubt and to fear. Just as he was about to reenter the
house, he perceived in
the distance a tall man approaching, — very lightly
and quickly; and in the
next moment he recognized Akana.
"Oh!" cried Hasébé, springing to meet him — "I
have been waiting for you
from the morning until now! . . . So you really did
keep your promise after all.
. . . But you must be tired, poor brother! — come in;
— everything is ready for
you." He guided Akana to the place of honor in the
guest-room, and hastened
to trim the lights, which were burning low.
"Mother," continued Hasébé, "felt
a little tired this evening, and she has already gone to
bed; but I shall
awaken her presently." Akana shook his head, and
made a little gesture of disapproval. "As you will,
brother," said Hasébé; and he set warm food and
wine before the traveller. Akana did not touch the
food or the wine, but
remained motionless and silent for a short time.
Then, speaking in a whisper,
— as if fearful of awakening the mother, he said: —
"Now I must tell you how it happened that I came
thus late. When I returned
to Izumo I found that the people had almost
forgotten the kindness of our
former ruler, the good Lord Enya, and were seeking
the favor of the usurper
Tsunéhisa, who had possessed himself of the Tonda
Castle. But I had to visit
my cousin, Akana Tanji, though he had accepted
service under Tsunéhisa,
and was living, as a retainer, within the castle
grounds. He persuaded me to
present myself before Tsunéhisa: I yielded chiefly in
order to observe the
character of the new ruler, whose face I had never
seen. He is a skilled
soldier, and of great courage; but he is cunning and
cruel. I found it necessary
to let him know that I could never enter into his
service. After I left his
presence he ordered my cousin to detain me — to
keep me confined within
the house. I protested that I had promised to return to
Harima upon the
ninth day of the ninth month; but I was refused
permission to go. I then
hoped to escape from the castle at night; but I was
constantly watched; and
until to-day I could find no way to fulfil my promise.
. . ."
"Until to-day!" exclaimed Hasébé in bewilderment;
— "the castle is more than
a hundred ri from here!"
"Yes," returned Akana; "and no living man can
travel on foot a hundred ri in
one day. But I felt that, if I did not keep my promise,
you could not think well
of me; and I remembered the ancient proverb, Tama
yoku ichi nichi ni sen ri
wo yuku ["The soul of a man can journey a thousand
ri in a day"].
Fortunately I had been allowed to keep my sword; —
thus only was I able to
come to you. . . . Be good to our mother."With these
words he stood up, and in the same instant
disappeared.
Then Hasébé knew that Akana had killed himself in
order to fulfil the
promise.At earliest dawn Hasébé Samon set out for
the Castle Tonda, in the province
of Izumo. Reaching Matsué, he there learned that, on
the night of the ninth
day of the ninth month, Akana Soyëmon had
performed harakiri in the house
of Akana Tanji, in the grounds of the castle. Then
Hasébé went to the house
of Akana Tanji, and reproached Akana Tanji for the
treachery done, and slew
him in the midst of his family, and escaped without
hurt. And when the Lord Tsunéhisa had heard the
story, he gave commands that Hasébé should not be
pursued. For, although an unscrupulous and cruel
man himself, the Lord
Tsunéhisa could respect the love of truth in others,
and could admire the
friendship and the courage of Hasébé Samon.
REACTION:
This story is about friendship and brotherhood that
made me value all
my promises. This is a story of Honesty, Love and
Keeping your promises
THE TRIAL OF THE STONE
A Chinese Folktale
            The boy Ah Niew was an orphan whose
mother died when he was two years old. His
grandmother brought him up by selling cakes cooked
in oil. He carried the cakes in a basket lined with oily
paper and peddled these in the streets.
            One day, Ah Niew was especially lucky. He
has sold the three hundred cakes very fast. He was
about to go home when he saw an old woman
crossing the street with a basketful of fruits. In her
haste, she stumbled and her fruits rolled in the
streets. Ah Niew put down his basket and with the
money in it and came to woman’s rescue. He
gathered the fruits, rubbed off the dust from them,
and returned them in the basket.
            When he turned to get his own basket, it was
gone. He looked around and saw it beside a big
stone. But the money was gone.
            Ah Niew cried so loud that the people came
to see what was the matter. “Oh! Oh! My money is
gone…” Ah Niew wailed. “What will my
grandmother say? She worked so hard baking all
those cakes in oil… and I sold them all. But the
money is gone.”
            Paw Kong, a Mandarin who was a
kindhearted judge happened to be passing by. Ah
Niew ran to him for help. Paw Kong scrutinized the
faces of the onlookers. He said to young man, “Did
you take the boy’s money?”
            “No,” replied the young man.
            “Did you take it?” he asked the man with the
big nose. “No,” he replied.
            All the people around him whom he asked
denied that they had taken the money.
            Paw Kong said, “I have asked all of you and
none would admit the theft. The only remaining
object nearby is this stone, so it must be the thief.
Servants, take the stone to the court I shall try it for
taking the boy’s money.”
            The people laughed but they were curious to
see the trial of the stone, so they went with Paw
Kong with the court.
            “You must each pay twenty cents to enter the
court,” Paw Kong told them.
            The judge instructed the servants to put a pot
of water at the entrance of the court. “Each person
must pay twenty cents before they enter the court,”
he told the people.
            Paw Kong stood by the water, looking
intently at the water as each man dropped his twenty
cents. The pot was nearly full of money.
            “That is the man who took the money,” said
Paw Kong. “Servant, take him! Look in his bag and
he will find money.”
            The Mandarin servants seized the man,
opened his bag and true enough! They found two
hundred eighty cents.
            “That is my money,” shouts Ah Niew.
            “Yes, that is your money,” agreed Paw Kong.
            “How did you know that is the boy’s
money?” asked the people.
            “Look!” said Paw Kong. Look at the water.
Ah Niew put his money under the paper lining of the
basket. I saw the paper. So his money has oil in it.
There is oil on the water, which appeared only when
that man put his twenty cents in the pot.”
            “Thank you, thank you, Sir,” replied the
grateful Ah Niew as he skipped gaily home to his
grandmother.
The Fall and Rise of a Merchant
In a city called Vardhamana, lived a very efficient
and prosperous merchant.
The king was aware of his abilities, and therefore
made him the administrator of the kingdom.
 
With his efficient and intelligent ways, he kept
common man very happy, and at the same time he
impressed the king on the other side. Such a person,
who can keep everybody happy, is rarely found.
 
Later, there came a time that the merchant's daughter
was getting married. He arranged for a lavish
reception.
 
The merchant not only invited the king and the
queen, who obliged by attending, but he also invited
the entire royal household and all respected people
of the kingdom.
 
During the reception, he ensured to provide his
guests with the best of treatments. He gave out gifts
to guests to show them respect for attending to his
invitation.
A servant of the royal household, who used to sweep
the palace, was not invited but attended the
reception.
 
He took a seat which was reserved for royal nobles,
not meant for common invitees.
 
This made the merchant very angry. He caught him
by the neck and ordered his servants to have him
thrown out.
 
The royal servant felt very insulted, and could not
sleep all night. He thought, "If I can have the king to
disfavour this merchant, I will have my revenge. But
what can I, a common fellow, do to harm a powerful
person as him". Thinking such, he suddenly had a
plan.
 
Several days later, the servant was sweeping the
floor near the king's bed early in the morning. He
observed that that the king was still in bed, half
awake. The servant started mumbling, "Good
heavens! The merchant has become so carefree now
that he dared to embrace the queen!"
 
When the king heard this lying in his bed, he jumped
up and asked the servant, "Is it true? Have you seen
the merchant embrace my queen yourself?"
 
The servant at once fell at the king's feet, "O Master,
I was gambling all night. I feel drowsy for I didn't
sleep last night. I don't know what I have been
mumbling, but I said anything improper, please
forgive me."
The king spoke no more, but the servant knew he
had sowed the seed of distrust. The king thought, "It
can be true! The servant moves about the palace
freely, and so does the merchant. It is possible that
the servant has seen something."
The king was troubled with jealousy. From that day
onwards, he withdrew his favours from the merchant
and even forbade him to enter the palace.
 
One day, when the merchant was entering the
gateway to the palace, he was stopped by the guards.
The merchant was surprised due to this sudden
change in the king's attitude.
 
The servant was nearby, and mocking shouted at the
guards, "Ho Guards! That merchant is favoured by
the king. He is a powerful person. He can have
people arrested or released or even thrown out, just
like he had me thrown out of his daughter's
reception. Beware, for you may suffer the same
fate."
On hearing this, the merchant understood that the
servant has caused all this trouble somehow. He felt
dejected, and returned home upset over the incident.
 
He gave everything a second thought, and then he
invited the royal servant to his house. He treated the
servant with utmost respect, and flattered him with
gifts and garments. He said kindly, "O friend, that
day I did not have you thrown out due to anger, but it
was improper of you to occupy the seat reserved for
the royal nobles. They felt insulted, and out of
compulsion I had to throw you out. Please forgive
me."
 
The servant was already flattered with all the gifts,
and he was full of joy, "Sir, I forgive you. You have
not only expressed your regrets, but also honoured
me with utmost respect".
 
He ensured the merchant, "I will prove you how
clever I am. I will have the king favourable towards
you, like he was before". The servant went back
home.
 
Early next morning, when he started sweeping the
floors of the palace, he waited till when the king was
lying half-awake.
 
When the opportunity came, he started sweeping
around his bed and started mumbling, "Our king is
crazy, he eats cucumber in the lavatory!"
 
On hearing this, the king was taken aback. He got up
angrily and shouted at the servant, "What nonsense
do you talk about? Had you not been by royal
servant, I would have punished you dearly. Have you
ever seen me doing such thing yourself?"
Once again the servant fell on his knees and prayed,
"O Master, please forgive me if I said something
improper. I was gambling all last night and didn't
sleep. I feel drowsy and I don't know what I have
been mumbling."
 
The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a
cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about
me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he
mumbled about my trusted merchant the other
morning must have been ridiculously false too. It
was improper of me to mistreat the merchant."
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in
the whole administrative system, that without him it
has become slack."
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited
the merchant to the palace and flattered him with
gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the
merchant to his previously held position, and
favoured his services as before.
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with
respect.]
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to
test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to
inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the
Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He
answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28 “You have answered
correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked
Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus
said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They
stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away,
leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be
going down the same road, and when he saw the
man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a
Levite, when he came to the place and saw him,
passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as
he traveled, came where the man was; and when he
saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and
bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then
he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to
an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took
out two denariiand gave them to the innkeeper.
‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will
reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a
neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of
robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one
who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do
likewise.”
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
In a town in Persia there lived two brothers, one
named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Cassim was
married to a rich wife and lived in luxury, while Ali
Baba had to maintain his wife and children by
cutting wood in a neighbouring forest and selling it
in the town. One day, when Ali Baba was in the
forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming
toward him in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they
were robbers, and climbed into a tree for safety.
When they came up to him and dismounted, he
counted forty of them.
–
This story from 1001 Nights is not without
bloodshed, but all the same, children will love its
exciting plot. The name of Ali Baba will forever be
associated with thieves, perhaps unfairly as Ali only
steals from robbers. The true hero turns out to be a
woman – Morgiana, the slave-girl.
At a shade under half an hour, this is a longer story
than we usual publish – and we have an introduction
from the pond where Bertie lives.
This Version by Andrew Lang.
Proofread by Claire Deakin & Jana Elizabeth.
Duration 29 Minutes.
In a town in Persia there dwelled two brothers, one
named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Cassim was
married to a rich wife and lived in plenty; while Ali
Baba had to maintain his wife and children by
cutting wood in a neighbouring forest and selling it
in the town. One day, when Ali Baba was in the
forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming
toward him in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they
were robbers, and climbed into a tree for safety.
When they came up to him and dismounted, he
counted forty of them. They unbridled their horses
and tied them to trees. The finest man among them,
whom Ali Baba took to be their captain, went a little
way among some bushes, and said: “Open Sesame!”
so plainly that Ali Baba heard him. A door opened in
the rocks, and having made the troop go in, he
followed them, and the door shut again of itself.
They stayed some time inside, and Ali Baba, fearing
they might come out and catch him, was forced to sit
patiently in the tree. At last the door opened again,
and the forty thieves came out. As the captain went
in last, he came out first, and made them all pass by
him. He then closed the door, saying, “Shut
Sesame!” Every man bridled his horse and mounted.
The captain put himself at their head, and they
returned as they came.
Then Ali Baba climbed down and went to the door
concealed among the bushes, and said: “Open
Sesame!” It flew open. Ali Baba, who expected a
dull, dismal place, was greatly surprised to find it
large and well lighted, hollowed by the hand of man
in the form of a vault, which received the light from
an opening in the ceiling. He saw rich bales of
merchandise – silk brocades, all piled together, and
gold and silver in heaps, and money in leather
purses. He went in and the door shut behind him. He
did not look at the silver, but brought out as many
bags of gold as he thought his asses, which were
browsing outside, could carry. He loaded them with
the bags, and hid it all with fagots. Using the words:
“Shut Sesame!” he closed the door and went home.
Then he drove his asses into the yard, shut the gates,
carried the money-bags to his wife, and emptied
them out before her. He bade her to keep the secret,
and he would go and bury the gold. “Let me first
measure it,” said his wife. “I will go and borrow a
measure off someone, while you dig the hole.” So
she ran to the wife of Cassim and borrowed a
measure. Knowing Ali Baba’s poverty, the sister was
curious to find out what sort of grain his wife wished
to measure, and artfully put some suet at the bottom
of the measure. Ali Baba’s wife went home and set
the measure on the heap of gold, and filled it and
emptied it often, to her great content. She then
carried it back to her sister, without noticing that a
piece of gold was sticking to it, which Cassim’s wife
perceived directly whilst her back was turned. She
grew very curious, and said to Cassim when he came
home: “Cassim, your brother is richer than you. He
does not count his money, he measures it.” He
begged her to explain this riddle, which she did by
showing him the piece of money and telling him
where she found it. Then Cassim grew so envious
that he could not sleep, and went to his brother in the
morning before sunrise. “Ali Baba,” he said,
showing him the gold piece, “you pretend to be poor
and yet you measure gold.” By this Ali Baba
perceived that through his wife’s folly Cassim and
his wife knew their secret, so he confessed all and
offered Cassim a share. “That I expect,” said Cassim,
“but I must know where to find the treasure,
otherwise I will discover all, and you will lose all.”
Ali Baba, more out of kindness than fear, told him of
the cave, and the very words to use. Cassim left Ali
Baba, meaning to be beforehand with him and get
the treasure for himself. He rose early next morning,
and set out with ten mules loaded with great chests.
He soon found the place, and the door in the rock.
He said: “Open Sesame!” and the door opened and
shut behind him. He could have feasted his eyes all
day on the treasures, but he now hastened to gather
together as much of it as possible; but when he was
ready to go he could not remember what to say for
thinking of his great riches. Instead of “Sesame,” he
said: “Open Barley!” and the door remained fast. He
named several different sorts of grain, all but the
right one, and the door still stuck fast. He was so
frightened at the danger he was in that he had as
much forgotten the word as if he had never heard it.
About noon the robbers returned to their cave, and
saw Cassim’s mules roving about with great chests
on their backs. This gave them the alarm; they drew
their sabres, and went to the door, which opened on
their Captain’s saying: “Open Sesame!” Cassim,
who had heard the trampling of their horses’ feet,
resolved to sell his life dearly, so when the door
opened he leaped out and threw the Captain down. In
vain, however, for the robbers with their sabres soon
killed him. On entering the cave they saw all the
bags laid ready, and could not imagine how anyone
had got in without knowing their secret. They cut
Cassim’s body into four quarters, and nailed them up
inside the cave, in order to frighten anyone who
should venture in, and went away in search of more
treasure.
As night drew on Cassim’s wife grew very uneasy,
and ran to her brother-in-law, and told him where her
husband had gone. Ali Baba did his best to comfort
her, and set out to the forest in search of Cassim. The
first thing he saw on entering the cave was his dead
brother. Full of horror, he put the body on one of his
asses, and bags of gold on the other two, and,
covering all with some fagots, returned home. He
drove the two asses laden with gold into his own
yard, and led the other to Cassim’s house. The door
was opened by the slave Morgiana, whom he knew
to be both brave and cunning. Unloading the ass, he
said to her: “This is the body of your master, who
has been murdered, but whom we must bury as
though he had died in his bed. I will speak with you
again, but now tell your mistress I am come.” The
wife of Cassim, on learning the fate of her husband,
broke out into cries and tears, but Ali Baba offered to
take her to live with him and his wife if she would
promise to keep his counsel and leave everything to
Morgiana; whereupon she agreed, and dried her
eyes.
Morgiana, meanwhile, sought an apothecary and
asked him for some lozenges. “My poor master,” she
said, “can neither eat nor speak, and no one knows
what his distemper is.” She carried home the
lozenges and returned next day weeping, and asked
for an essence only given to those just about to die.
Thus, in the evening, no one was surprised to hear
the wretched shrieks and cries of Cassim’s wife and
Morgiana, telling everyone that Cassim was dead.
The day after, Morgiana went to an old cobbler near
the gates of the town who opened his stall early, put
a piece of gold in his hand, and bade him to follow
her with his needle and thread. Having bound his
eyes with a handkerchief, she took him to the room
where the body lay, pulled off the bandage, and bade
him to sew the quarters together, after which she
covered his eyes again and led him home. Then they
buried Cassim, and Morgiana his slave followed him
to the grave, weeping and tearing her hair, while
Cassim’s wife stayed at home uttering lamentable
cries. Next day she went to live with Ali Baba, who
gave Cassim’s shop to his eldest son.
The Forty Thieves, on their return to the cave, were
much astonished to find Cassim’s body gone and
some of their money-bags. “We are certainly
discovered,” said the Captain, “and shall be undone
if we cannot find out who it is that knows our secret.
Two men must have known it; we have killed one,
we must now find the other. To this end one of you
who is bold and artful must go into the city dressed
as a traveller, and discover whom we have killed,
and whether men talk of the strange manner of his
death. If the messenger fails he must lose his life,
lest we be betrayed.” One of the thieves started up
and offered to do this, and after the rest had highly
commended him for his bravery he disguised
himself, and happened to enter the town at daybreak,
just by Baba Mustapha’s stall. The thief bade him
good-day, saying: “Honest man, how can you
possibly see to stitch at your age?” “Old as I am,”
replied the cobbler, “I have very good eyes, and will
you believe me when I tell you that I sewed a dead
body together in a place where I had less light than I
have now.” The robber was overjoyed at his good
fortune, and, giving him a piece of gold, desired to
be shown the house where he stitched up the dead
body. At first Mustapha refused, saying that he had
been blindfolded; but when the robber gave him
another piece of gold he began to think he might
remember the turnings if blindfolded as before. This
means he succeeded; the robber partly led him, and
was partly guided by him, right in front of Cassim’s
house, the door of which the robber marked with a
piece of chalk. Then, well pleased, he bade farewell
to Baba Mustapha and returned to the forest. By and
by Morgiana, going out, saw the mark the robber had
made, quickly guessed that some mischief was
brewing, and fetching a piece of chalk marked two
or three doors on each side, without saying anything
to her master or mistress.
The thief,  in the meantime, told his comrades of his
discovery. The Captain thanked him, and bade him
to show him the house he had marked. But when
they came to it they saw that five or six of the houses
were chalked in the same manner. The guide was so
confounded that he knew not what answer to make,
and when they returned he was at once beheaded for
having failed. Another robber was dispatched, and,
having won over Baba Mustapha, marked the house
in red chalk; but Morgiana being again too clever for
them, the second messenger was put to death also.
The Captain now resolved to go himself, but, wiser
than the others, he did not mark the house, but
looked at it so closely that he could not fail to
remember it. He returned, and ordered his men to go
into the neighbouring villages and buy nineteen
mules, and thirty-eight leather jars, all empty except
one, which was full of oil. The Captain put one of his
men, fully armed, into each, rubbing the outside of
the jars with oil from the full vessel. Then the
nineteen mules were loaded with thirty-seven
robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, and reached the
town by dusk. The Captain stopped his mules in
front of Ali Baba’s house, and said to Ali Baba, who
was sitting outside for coolness: “I have brought
some oil from a distance to sell at tomorrow’s
market, but it is now so late that I know not where to
pass the night, unless you will do me the favour to
take me in.” Though Ali Baba had seen the Captain
of the robbers in the forest, he did not recognize him
in the disguise of an oil merchant. He bade him
welcome, opened his gates for the mules to enter,
and went to Morgiana to bid her to prepare a bed and
supper for his guest. He brought the stranger into his
hall, and after they had supped went again to speak
to Morgiana in the kitchen, while the Captain went
into the yard under pretence of seeing after his
mules, but really to tell his men what to do.
Beginning at the first jar and ending at the last, he
said to each man: “As soon as I throw some stones
from the window of the chamber where I lie, cut the
jars open with your knives and come out, and I will
be with you in a trice.” He returned to the house, and
Morgiana led him to his chamber. She then told
Abdallah, her fellow-slave, to set on the pot to make
some broth for her master, who had gone to bed.
Meanwhile her lamp went out, and she had no more
oil in the house. “Do not be uneasy,” said Abdallah:
“go into the yard and take some out of one of those
jars.” Morgiana thanked him for his advice, took the
oil pot, and went into the yard. When she came to the
first jar the robber inside said softly: “Is it time?”
Any other slave but Morgiana, on finding a man in
the jar instead of the oil she wanted, would have
screamed and made a noise; but she, knowing the
danger her master was in, bethought herself of a
plan, and answered quietly: “Not yet, but presently.”
She went to all the jars, giving the same answer, till
she came to the jar of oil. She now saw that her
master, thinking to entertain an oil merchant, had let
thirty-eight robbers into his house. She filled her oil
pot, went back to the kitchen, and, having lit her
lamp, went again to the oil jar and filled a large
kettle full of oil. When it boiled she went and poured
enough oil into every jar to stifle and kill the robber
inside. When this brave deed was done she went
back to the kitchen, put out the fire and the lamp, and
waited to see what would happen.
In a quarter of an hour the Captain of the robbers
awoke, got up, and opened the window. As all
seemed quiet, he threw down some little pebbles
which hit the jars. He listened, and as none of his
men seemed to stir he grew uneasy, and went down
into the yard. On going to the first jar and saying:
“Are you asleep?” he smelt the hot boiled oil, and
knew at once that his plot to murder Ali Baba and his
household had been discovered. He found all the
gang was dead, and, missing the oil out of the last
jar, became aware of the manner of their death. He
then forced the lock of a door leading into a garden,
and climbing over several walls made his escape.
Morgiana heard and saw all this, and, rejoicing at her
success, went to bed and fell asleep.
At daybreak Ali Baba arose, and, seeing the oil jars
still there, asked why the merchant had not gone
with his mules. Morgiana bade him look in the first
jar and see if there was any oil. Seeing a man, he
started back in terror. “Have no fear,” said
Morgiana; “the man cannot harm you: he is dead.”
Ali Baba, when he had recovered somewhat from his
astonishment, asked what had become of the
merchant. “Merchant!” said she, “he is no more a
merchant than I am!” and she told him the whole pointing it at her own breast, sometimes at her
story, assuring him that it was a plot of the robbers master’s, as if it were part of the dance. Suddenly,
of the forest, of whom only three were left, and that out of breath, she snatched the tabor from Abdallah
the white and red chalk marks had something to do with her left hand, and, holding the dagger in her
with it. Ali Baba at once gave Morgiana her right hand, held out the tabor to her master. Ali Baba
freedom, saying that he owed her his life. They then and his son put a piece of gold into it, and Cogia
buried the bodies in Ali Baba’s garden, while the Hassan, seeing that she was coming to him, pulled
mules were sold in the market by his slaves. out his purse to make her a present, but while he was
The Captain returned to his lonely cave, which putting his hand into it Morgiana plunged the dagger
seemed frightful to him without his lost companions, into his heart.
and firmly resolved to avenge them by killing Ali “Unhappy girl!” cried Ali Baba and his son, “what
Baba. He dressed himself carefully, and went into have you done to ruin us?”
the town, where he took lodgings in an inn. In the “It was to preserve you, master, not to ruin you,”
course of a great many journeys to the forest he answered Morgiana. “See here,” opening the false
carried away many rich stuffs and much fine linen, merchant’s garment and showing the dagger. “See
and set up a shop opposite that of Ali Baba’s son. He what an enemy you have entertained! Remember, he
called himself Cogia Hassan, and as he was both would eat no salt with you, and what more would
civil and well dressed he soon made friends with Ali you have? Look at him! He is both the false oil
Baba’s son, and through him with Ali Baba, whom merchant and the Captain of the Forty Thieves.”
he was continually asking to sup with him. Ali Baba, Ali Baba was so grateful to Morgiana for thus saving
wishing to return his kindness, invited him into his his life that he offered her to his son in marriage,
house and received him smiling, thanking him for his who readily consented, and a few days after, the
kindness to his son. When the merchant was about to wedding was celebrated with greatest splendor.
take his leave, Ali Baba stopped him, saying: At the end of a year Ali Baba, hearing nothing of the
“Where are you going, sir, in such haste? Will you two remaining robbers, judged they were dead, and
not stay and sup with me?” The merchant refused, set out to the cave. The door opened on his saying:
saying that he had a reason; and on Ali Baba’s “Open Sesame!” He went in, and saw that nobody
asking him what that was, he replied: “It is sir, that I had been there since the Captain left it. He brought
can eat no victuals that have any salt in them.” “If away as much gold as he could carry, and returned to
that is all,” said Ali Baba, “let me tell you that there town. He told his son the secret of the cave, which
shall be no salt in either the meat or the bread that his son handed down in his turn, so the children and
we eat tonight.” He went to give this order to grandchildren of Ali Baba were rich to the end of
Morgiana, who was much surprised. “Who is this their lives.
man?” she said, “who eats no salt with his meat?”
“He is an honest man, Morgiana,” returned her
master, “therefore do as I bid you.” But she could
not withstand a desire to see this strange man, so she
helped Abdallah to carry up the dishes, and saw in a
moment that Cogia Hassan was the robber Captain,
and carried a dagger under his garment. “I am not
surprised,” she said to herself, “that this wicked man,
who intends to kill my master, will eat no salt with
him, but I will hinder his plans.”
She sent up the supper by Abdallah, while she made
ready for one of the boldest acts that could be
thought on. When the dessert had been served, Cogia
Hassan was left alone with Ali Baba and his son,
whom he thought to make drunk and then to murder
them. Morgiana, meanwhile, put on a head-dress like
a dancing-girl’s, and clasped a girdle round her
waist, from which hung a dagger with a silver hilt,
and said to Abdallah: “Take your tabor, and let us go
and divert our master and his guest.” Abdallah took
his tabor and played before Morgiana until they
came to the door, where Abdallah stopped playing
and Morgiana made a low courtesy. “Come in,
Morgiana,” said Ali Baba, “and let Cogia Hassan see
what you can do,” and turning to Cogia Hassan, he
said: “She’s my slave and my housekeeper.” Cogia
Hassan was by no means pleased, for he feared that
his chance of killing Ali Baba was gone for the
present, but he pretended great eagerness to see
Morgiana, and Abdallah began to play and Morgiana
to dance. After she had performed several dances she
drew her dagger and made passes with it, sometimes