The troop, who were to the number of forty, all well mounted and
armed, came to the foot of the rock on which the tree stood, and there
dismounted. Every man unbridled his horse, tied him to some shrub, and
hung about his neck a bag of corn which they had brought behind them.
Then each of them took off his saddle-bag, which seemed to Ali Baba
from its weight to be full of gold and silver. One, whom he took to be
their captain, came under the tree in which Ali Baba was concealed;
and making his way through some shrubs, pronounced these words:
"Open, Sesame!"[49] As soon as the captain of the robbers had thus
spoken, a door opened in the rock; and after he had made all his troop
enter before him, he followed them, when the door shut again of
itself.
[Footnote 49: "Sesame" is a small grain.]
The robbers stayed some time within the rock, during which Ali Baba,
fearful of being caught, remained in the tree.
At last the door opened again, and as the captain went in last, so he
came out first, and stood to see them all pass by him; when Ali Baba
heard him make the door close by pronouncing these words, "Shut,
Sesame!" Every man at once went and bridled his horse, fastened his
wallet, and mounted again. When the captain saw them all ready, he put
himself at their head, and they returned the way they had come.
Ali Baba followed them with his eyes as far as he could see them; and
afterward stayed a considerable time before he descended.
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