But the magician’s wicked brother, plotting revenge, obtained access to the princess in disguise of a holy woman he had foully murdered, and he would have certainly slain Aladdin but for a warning of the genie, by which Aladdin was enabled to kill the magician.  After that Aladdin lived in glory and peace, and ascended in due course to the throne, and reigned with honour and mercy.

VII.—­Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Now, the father of Ali Baba left both his sons poor; but Kasim married a rich wife, and so he lived plenteously, while his poor brother, Ali Baba, worked in the wood.  It came to pass that Ali Baba one day saw in the wood a company of forty robbers, the captain of whom cried, “Open, Sesame!” to a great rock, and lo! it opened, and the men disappeared.  When they were gone out again, Ali Baba came from his hiding, and, addressing the rock in the same way, found that it obeyed him.  Then went he in and took much of the treasure, which he drove home on his mule.  Now, when his wife sent to the brother Kasim for scales, wherewith she might weigh all this treasure, the sister-in-law being suspicious that one so poor should have need of scales, smeared the bottom of the pan with wax and grease, and discovered on the return a gold piece.  This she showed to Kasim, who made Ali Baba confess the tale.  Then Kasim went to the cave, entered, loaded much treasure, and was about to depart, when he found he had forgotten the magic words whereby he entered.  There was he found by the forty thieves, who slew and quartered him.  Ali Baba found the quarters, took them home, got a blind tailor to sew them together, and gave his brother burial.

Now, the robbers discovered Ali Baba’s house, and they hid themselves in oil-jars hung on the backs of mules, and the captain drove them.  Thus came they to Ali Baba’s house, and the captain craved lodging for himself and his beasts.  Surely would Ali Baba have been captured, tortured, and put to death but for his maid, the faithful and astute Morgiana, who discovered men in the jars, and, boiling cans of oil, poured it upon them one by one, and so delivered her master.  But the captain had escaped, and Ali Baba still went in great fear of his life.  But when he returned, disguised so that he might have puzzled the wisest, Morgiana recognised the enemy of her master; and she was dancing before him and filling his eyes with pleasure; and when it came for her to take the tambourine and go round for largess, she strengthened her heart and, quick as the blinding lightning, plunged a dagger into his vitals.  Thus did the faithful Morgiana save her master, and he married her to his nephew, the son of Kasim, and they lived long in great joy and blessing.

VIII.—­The Fisherman and the Genie

There was once a poor fisherman who every day cast his net four times into the sea.  On a day he went forth, and casting in his net, drew up with great labour a dead jackass; casting again, an earthen pitcher full of sand; casting a third time vexatiously, potsherds and shattered glass; and at the last a jar of yellow copper, leaden-capped, and stamped with the seal-ring of Solomon, the son of David.  His rage was silenced at sight of the sacred seal, and, removing the cap, smoke issued, which, taking vast shape, became a terrible genie frightful to see.