The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old — John Shaqi
The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
Ali Baba's wife went home, set the measure upon the heap of gold,
filled it, and emptied it often upon the sofa, till she had done,
when she was very well satisfied to find the number of measures
amounted to so many as they did, and went to tell her husband, who
had almost finished digging the hole. While Ali Baba was burying
the gold, his wife, to show her exactness and diligence to her
sister-in-law, carried the measure back again, but without taking
notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the bottom. "Sister,"
said she, giving it to her again, "you see that I have not kept
your measure long. I am obliged to you for it, and return it with
thanks."
As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's wife looked at the
bottom of the measure, and was in inexpressible surprise to find a
piece of gold sticking to it. Envy immediately possessed her
breast. "What!" said she, "has Ali Baba gold so plentiful as to
measure it? Whence has he all this wealth?"
Cassim, her husband, was at his counting-house. When he came home
his wife said to him, "Cassim, I know you think yourself rich, but
Ali Baba is infinitely richer than you. He does not count his
money, but measures it." Cassim desired her to explain the riddle,
which she did by telling him the stratagem she had used to make
the discovery, and showed him the piece of money, which was so old
that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was coined.
Cassim, after he had married the rich widow, had never treated Ali
Baba as a brother, but neglected him; and now, instead of being
pleased, he conceived a base envy at his brother's prosperity. He
could not sleep all that night, and went to him in the morning
before sunrise. "Ali Baba," said he, "I am surprised at you! you
pretend to be miserably poor, and yet you measure gold. My wife
found this at the bottom of the measure you borrowed yesterday."
By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his wife,
through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much reason to
conceal; but what was done could not be undone. Therefore, without
showing the least surprise or trouble, he confessed all, and
offered his brother part of his treasure to keep the secret.
"I expect as much," replied Cassim haughtily; "but I must know
exactly where this treasure is, and how I may visit it myself
when I choose; otherwise, I will go and inform against you, and
then you will not only get no more, but will lose all you have,
and I shall have a share for my information."
Ali Baba told him all he desired, even to the very words he was to
use to gain admission into the cave.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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