Ali Baba and Kissem

Alexander Townsend, Flamstead, St. Andrew.

Ali Baba was the brother of Kissem, but Ali Baba was a poor man and Kissem was a rich man. Ali Baba had two donkeys and an ox,—all his living. Ali Baba was cutting wood one day, he heard a company of horse coming afar. Took his donkeys and hid them in the bush, hid himself in a tree. Forty men were coming on; the head man came right to the cave where he was. Name of the cave was “Sesame.” This cave was shut, would open by the word “Open, Sesame.” And they brought forty bags of gold an’ put in. Shut without word. Ali Baba saw them from the tree-top. When gone, Ali Baba came down to the cave, said, “Open, Sesame, open!” Ali Baba took all the money he could, loaded it on the donkey.

Must measure the money, but didn’t have any measure. Brother said, “What Ali Baba got to measure?” Took stuck the measure. Ali Baba measure, measure, measure, measure thousands of dollars. One piece stuck on the bottom. Brother aska; Ali Baba tells all about it, teaches brother, “Open, Sesame, open.” Next day, Kissem took wagon, oxen, servants, went to the place, said, “Open, Sesame, open!”. When he went inside, cave shut. When he went on, saw all the money, he forgot the word, said, “Open, kem! Open, wem! Open, rim! Open, sim!” Forgot that word entirely, can’t get out. The men came back; “Open, Sesame, open!” Find Kissem. “How came you here?” No answer. Cut Kissem up in five pieces, hung them up in the cave.

Kissem’s wife went to Ali Baba, said, “Kissem no come here yet!” Ali Baba went next day to the place. “Open, Sesame, open!” Finds the five pieces, takes them down, gets a cobbler to sew the five pieces up into a body. Robber comes back, finds body gone. Who took away that body, signifies some one knows the place; must find out who that is. Goes about town, finds a cobbler who said he joined five pieces into a body. Cobbler shows the house. He gets jars, puts a robber in each jar; one jar has oil. Takes the jars to Ali Baba, says will he buy oil. Ali Baba says yes.

He makes sport for the great governor. Ali Baba had a maid by the name of Margiana, and she was very wittified,—discovered the whole thing, but she didn’t say anything. She danced so well, danced up to the governor to give her something. He put his hand in his pocket to get her something; Margiana get one dagger, killed the governor dead. Margiana got the oil red-hot, poured into all the jars that got men. Ali Baba said, “Well, Margiana, you saved my life and you shall have my son and as much money as you want, and as much money as will put you in heaven!”