Prof.
Waller Hastings
Northern State University
Aberdeen, SD 57401
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Galland first heard this story from the same Maronite Christian that told
him “Aladdin” and wrote the story in French. An Arabic manuscript
was located in 1860 but on close examination proves to be a back-translation
from the French, and in fact was written by a French diplomat in Egypt
under an Arabicized version of his name (Haddawy a xiii). Lang included
it in the first of his series of colored collections, The Blue Fairy
Book. His source was an adaptation by Violet Hunt; he noted that
the popular children's versions were a "dwindling down" of the original
Märchen.
It presents us with a classic fairy tale situation: two siblings,
one favored (Kasim) and one not (Ali Baba). In this case, both inherit
wealth and squander it; perhaps the story models how one may learn from
one's experience. Ali Baba does nothing to qualify himself for the
treasure, other than to have the merit of remembering the magic word and
the discretion to keep out of the robber's way. However, after he
has received his good fortune, he behaves with an appropriate modesty and
rewards those who deserve it (Marjana). Kasim reacts like the shrewish
sister in "Diamonds and Toads": "If you can get the treasure, so can I."
But he suffers a different fate in that he does not keep his head - he
allows the wealth around him to distract him into forgetfulness.
For this he is punished; however, his failure also threatens Ali Baba,
since the robber chief could trace his loss through the identity of the
brother.
Note the role of Marjana - like Shahryzad, a "shrewd" woman who
constantly helps to protect the family. She first follows Ali Baba's
instructions to account for Kasim's death without arousing suspicion.
But she acts on her own to prevent the robber chief's chalk marks from
betraying Ali Baba; the repetition shows the folk motif (this is like Hansel
and Gretel in reverse), as does the final variation that ends the train
of repetition (the robber chief doesn't rely on external markers but memorizes
the house's location). Marjana again acts on her own to kill the
robbers in the jars - risking Ali Baba's rage to save him - and again in
killing the chief in disguise. Her reward is marriage to Ali Baba's
nephew, which means that she gets to share in the wealth from the robber
cave - a continuing secret source of wealth to all his family.
MORAL: Why is Ali Baba allowed to keep what he has, after all, stolen,
while his brother is destroyed? The brother suffers from the same
disease as the robbers, i.e., greed - even though he is already wealthy,
he wants a great deal more and will even threaten his own brother to get
it. Ali Baba, on the other hand, displays the proper relationship
to worldly riches - sees it as a gift from Allah, not to be ostentatiously
displayed but used modestly to live well and to reward those who are deserving
(Marjana). He does not allow himself to be blinded by rich objects,
takes only money, and extracts it as he needs it, maintaining his family
in wealth in perpetuity.
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