suppose that this cave must have been occupied for ages by
robbers, who had succeeded one another.

Ali Baba went boldly into the cave, and collected as much of the
gold coin, which was in bags, as he thought his three asses could
carry. When he had loaded them with the bags, he laid wood over
them in such a manner that they could not be seen. When he had
passed in and out as often as he wished, he stood before the door,
and pronouncing the words, "Shut, Sesame!" the door closed of
itself. He then made the best of his way to town.

When Ali Baba got home, he drove his asses into a little yard,
shut the gates very carefully, threw off the wood that covered the
panniers, carried the bags into the house, and ranged them in
order before his wife. He then emptied the bags, which raised such
a great heap of gold as dazzled his wife's eyes, and then he told
her the whole adventure from beginning to end, and, above all,
recommended her to keep it secret.

The wife rejoiced greatly at their good-fortune, and would count
all the gold piece by piece. "Wife," replied Ali Baba, "you do not
know what you undertake, when you pretend to count the money; you
will never have done. I will dig a hole and bury it. There is no
time to be lost." "You are in the right, husband," replied she;
"but let us know, as nigh as possible, how much we have. I will
borrow a small measure, and measure it while you dig the hole."

Away the wife ran to her brother-in-law Cassim, who lived just by,
and, addressing herself to his wife, desired her to lend her a
measure for a little while. Her sister-in-law asked her whether