he cave, and offered him half his treasure; but the envious
Cassim disdained so poor a sum, resolving to have fifty times more than
that out of the robbers' cave. Accordingly he rose early the next
morning and set out with ten mules loaded with great chests. He found
the rock easily enough by Ali Baba's description; and having said "Open
Sesame," he gained admission into the cave, where he found more treasure
than he had expected to behold even from his brother's account of it.

He immediately began to gather bags of gold and pieces of rich brocade,
all which he piled close to the door; but when he had got together as
much as his ten mules could possibly carry, or even more, and wanted to
get out to load them, the thoughts of his wonderful riches had made him
entirely forget the word which caused the door to open. In vain he tried
"Bame," "Fame," "Lame," "Tetame," and a thousand others. The door
remained as immovable as the rock itself, notwithstanding Cassim kicked
and screamed till he was ready to drop with fatigue and vexation.

Presently he heard the sound of horses' feet, which he rightly concluded
to be the robbers, and he trembled lest he should now fall a victim to
his thirst for riches. He resolved, however, to make an effort to
escape; and when he heard the "Sesame" pronounced, and saw the door
open, he sprang out, but was instantly put to death by the swords of the
robbers.

The thieves now held a council, but not one of them could possibly guess
by what means Cassim had got into the cave. They saw the heaps of
treasure he had piled ready to take away, but they did not miss what Ali
Baba had secured before. At length they agreed to cut Cassim's body into
four quarters and hang the pieces within the cave, that it might
terrify any one from further attempts; and also determined not to return
themselves for some time to the cave for fear of being watched and
discovered.

When Cassim's wife saw night come on, and her husband not returned, she
became greatly terrified; she watched at her window till daybreak and
then went to tell Ali Baba of her fears. Cassim had not informed him of
his design of going to the cave; but Ali Baba, now hearing of his
journey thither, went immediately in search of him. He drove his asses
to the forest without delay. He was alarmed to see blood near the rock;
and on entering the cave, he found the body of his unfortunate brother
cut to pieces and hung up within the door. It was now