Ali Baba embraced her, and said, "Morgiana, I gave you your liberty before, and promised you more in time; now I would make you my daughter-in-law. Consider," he said, turning to his son, "that by marrying Morgiana, you marry the preserver of my family and yours."
The son was all the more ready to carry out his father's wishes, because they were the same as his own, and within a few days he and Morgiana were married, but before this, the captain of the robbers was buried with his comrades, and so secretly was it done, that their bones were not found till many years had passed, when no one had any concern in making this strange story known.
For a whole year Ali Baba did not visit the robbers' cave. At the end of that time, as nobody had tried to disturb him, he made another journey to the forest, and, standing before the entrance to the cave, said, "Open, Sesame." The door opened at once, and from the appearance of everything within the cavern, he judged that nobody had been there since the captain had fetched the goods for his shop. From this time forth, he took as much of the treasure as his needs demanded. Some years later he carried his son to the cave, and taught him the secret, which he handed down in his family, who used their good fortune wisely, and lived in great honor and splendor.
THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR
In the reign of the same Caliph, Haroun Al-Raschid, of whom we have already heard, there lived at Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. One day, when the weather was very hot, he was employed to carry a heavy burden from one end of the town to the other. Being much fatigued, he took off his load, and sat upon it, near a large mansion.
He was much pleased that he stopped at this place, for the air was completely filled with the pleasant scent of wood of aloes and rose-water, wafted from the house. Besides, he heard from within a concert of sweet music, mixed with the notes of nightingales and other birds. There was also the smell of several sorts of savory dishes, and Hindbad was sure there must be a great feast within. He knew not to whom the mansion belonged, and asked one of the servants standing by the gate in rich apparel.
"How," replied the servant, "do you live in Bagdad, and know not that this is the house of Sindbad the Sailor, the famous voyager who has sailed around the world?"
The porter lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, loud enough to be heard,—
"Almighty Creator of all things, consider the difference between Sindbad and me! Every day I suffer fatigue and distress, and can scarce get coarse barley bread for myself and my family, whilst happy Sindbad freely spends vast riches, and leads a life of unbroken pleasure. What has he done to obtain from thee a lot so agreeable? And what have I done to deserve one so wretched?"