Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Woodcutter Ali Baba overhears “Open Sesame,” entering a thieves’ cave of treasure. His greedy brother perishes; clever servant Morgiana foils the thieves’ revenge with boiling oil—showing wit and caution against greed.
Story beats
- 1) Ali Baba discovers the magic phrase to a hidden cave, takes coins secretly.
- 2) Brother Cassim forgets the phrase inside, is caught and killed by thieves.
- 3) Thieves seek Ali Baba; Morgiana marks houses, outmarks them, and later kills thieves hidden in oil jars by pouring boiling oil.
- 4) Morgiana is rewarded with freedom/marriage; Ali Baba secures the treasure with discretion.
Context & symbolism
The tale warns about greed and loose tongues; praises clever, loyal Morgiana as true hero. “Open Sesame” symbolizes temptation to easy wealth. Boiling oil jars and marked doors highlight strategy over brawn.
Class dynamics show servant outshining masters in cunning.
Motifs
- Secret phrase to treasure cave
- Greedy sibling downfall
- Clever servant saving master
- Disguise and marked doors
Use it in play
- Hidden vault opens with a phrase; forgetting it traps intruders.
- NPC servant foils assassins via mundane tools.
- False marks on houses to confuse hunters.
- Oil-jar ambush encounter reversal.
Comparative threads
- Magic password: Open-sesame equivalents in many dungeon locks.
- Clever servant trope: Similar to Odysseus’s Eurycleia or fairytale maids.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- Recover a phrase-locked hoard before rivals; avoid thieves’ vengeance.
- Recruit or reward a sharp servant who saves the party.
- Track assassins hidden in innocuous containers.