Page:Ali Baba, or, The forty thieves (1).pdf/5

 from merchants and travellers. Ali Baba then went in search of his asses, and having brought them to the rock, took as many bags of gold coin as they could carry, and put them on their backs, covering them with some loose faggots of wood; and afterwards (not forgetting to say Shut Sesame) he drove his asses back to the city; and having unloaded them in the stable belonging to his cottage, carried the bags into the house, and spread the gold coin out upon the floor before his wife.

His wife, delighted with possessing so much money, wanted to count it; but finding it would take up too much time, she was resolved to measure it; and running to the house of Ali Baba’s brother, she entreated them to lend her a small measure.

Cassim’s wife was very proud and envious: “I wonder,” said she to herself, “what sort of grain such poor people can have to measure; but I am determined I will find out what they are doing.” So before she gave the measure, she artfully rubbed the bottom with some suet.

Away ran Ali Baba’s wife, measured her money; and having helped her husband to bury it in the yard, she carried back the