At last he had determined to mount one of
the horses and driving on his asses, to return townward, when suddenly
the portal flew open. The robber chief was first to issue forth, then,
standing at the entrance, he saw and counted his men as they came out,
and lastly he spake the magical words, "Shut, Sesame!" whereat the
door closed of itself. When all had passed muster and review, each
slung on his saddlebags and bridled his own horse, and as soon as
ready they rode off, led by the leader, in the direction whence they
came. Ali Baba remained still perched on the tree and watched their
departure, nor would he descend until what time they were clean gone
out of sight, lest perchance one of them return and look around and
descry him.
Then he thought within himself: "I too will try the virtue of
those magical words and see if at my bidding the door will open and
close." So he called out aloud, "Open, Sesame!" And no sooner had he
spoken than straightway the portal flew open and he entered within. He
saw a large cavern and a vaulted, in height equaling the stature of
a full-grown man, and it was hewn in the live stone and, lighted up
with light that came through air holes and bull's-eyes in the upper
surface of the rock which formed the roof.
Pages:
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869