(原版)澳大利亞語文第五冊 LESSON 34

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LESSON 34 ALI BABA

ALI BABA

Ⅱ

As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's wife looked at the bottom of the measure, and was astonished to find a piece of gold sticking to it. At once she became full of envy. "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 far, far richer than you. He does not count his money, but measures it." Cassim asked her to explain the riddle, which she did, by telling him the plan she had used to find out, 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 became quite envious of his brother's good fortune. 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 these words, Ali Baba saw that Cassim and his wife, through his own wife's stupidity, knew all about the gold; but what was done could not be undone. Therefore, without showing the least surprise or trouble, he told all, and offered his brother part of his treasure if he would keep the secret.

I expect as much, replied Cassim, proudly; "but I must know exactly where this treasure is, and how I may visit it myself when I choose; otherwise I will go and tell against you, and then you will not only get no more, but will lose all you have, and I shall have a share for telling."

Ali Baba told him all he wished, and even the very words he was to use to gain admission into the cave.

Cassim rose the next morning long before the sun, and set out for the forest, with ten mules bearing great chests, which he intended to fill, and followed the road which Ali Baba had pointed out to him. He was not long before he reached the rock, and found out the place, by the tree and other marks which his brother had given him. When he reached the entrance of the cavern, he pronounced the words, "Open, Sesame!" The door immediately opened, and when he was in, closed upon him.

In examining the cave, he was greatly pleased to find much more riches than he had expected from what Ali Baba had told him. He quickly laid as many bags of gold as he could carry at the door of the cavern; but his thoughts were so full of the great riches he was to get, that he could not think of the necessary word to make it open, but instead of "Sesame," said "Open, Barley!" and was much astonished to find that the door remained fast shut. He named several sorts of grain, but still the door would not open.

Cassim had never expected such a thing, and was so alarmed at the danger he was in, that the more he tried to remember the word, "Sesame," the more his memory was confused, and he had as much forgotten it as if he had never heard it mentioned. He threw down the bags he had loaded himself with, and walked up and down the cave in a terrified and anxious manner, without taking the least notice of the riches that were round him.

About noon the robbers visited the cave. At some distance they saw Cassim's mules straggling about the rock, with great chests on their backs. Alarmed at this, they galloped full speed to the cave. They drove away the mules,and went directly, with their naked sabres ［1］ in their hands, to the door, which, on their captain pronouncing the proper words, immediately opened.

Cassim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet, at once guessed the arrival of the robbers, and determined ［2］ to make one effort to save his life. He rushed to the door, and no sooner saw the door open than he ran out and threw the leader down, but could not escape the other robbers, who with their swords soon killed him.

— From the Arabian Nights

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［1 ］ sabre: A sword with one edge; a cavalry sword.

［2 ］ determined: Of fixed purpose.