Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves

BAGHDAD-IN THE DAYS

OF THE MONGOL INVASION

O Mighty Khan.

The city is ours.

And the Caliph?

We have searched all Baghdad.

The Caliph has escaped.

Find him!

Every day until he dies,

a hundred of his subjects

will be tortured.

BY ORDER OF HULAGU KHAN, RULER OF ALL

THE MONGOLS AND CONQUEROR OF BAGHDAD

A HUNDRED CITIZENS SHALL BE

TORTURED TO DEATH EACH DAY

UNTIL THE LEAD OF THE CALIPH

IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE KHAN

O Mighty Caliph.

O Defender of the Faithful,

praise be to Allah

that you have come safely

through Mongol lines.

My defeat is heavy upon me, Cassim.

The very stones of Baghdad

cry out for vengeance.

Tell me, where have you

taken my son?

Ali is safely hidden

in my own house.

Then let us go quickly.

With him I go to Basra

to raise another army.

You go up against the Mongols

a second time?

They are powerful

enemies, my Lord.

Well do I know their power,

but I swear to you, Cassim,

by the power that

Allah has invested in me,

I will avenge my men

who died this day.

My Lord, perhaps...

Perhaps it will not be necessary

to fight these Mongols again.

Other ways might be found.

Other ways?

Your meaning is not clear.

If you will say the word, Caliph,

I will arrange a meeting

between you and the Khan.

You and your nobles might be

permitted to live on in luxury.

To avoid further bloodshed,

we might arrange terms.

Terms?

There will be no terms,

except death to the Mongols.

Blood runs in the streets

of Baghdad, My Lord.

Aye, the blood of brave men

who died for freedom.

Yours is the counsel

of a coward, Prince Cassim.

Forgive me.

Come, take me to my son.

My Lord, it were best

I stay here with men

to guard the road against

a surprise attack.

Mamoud knows the way.

You'll find dhows at my landing.

Everything is ready.

You have served me well,

Prince Cassim.

With the help of Allah

we shall meet again in Baghdad.

Then you shall have your reward.

Lady Amara!

Lady Amara!

Quick!

Out of your beds at this hour!

In a moment we will come, Nilah.

If Prince Cassim knew that

his daughter were up at this hour!

In a moment, I said.

In a moment! In a moment!

Now, before she changes

her mind again.

There, it is done.

Your blood has flowed into my arm

and mine into yours.

- But I'm afraid...

- You cannot be afraid now.

The blood of a Caliph

flows in your arm.

I'm afraid I'm going to be sick.

Is that not like a girl,

sick at the sight of a little blood.

I'm alright now, Ali.

We are pledged now, Amara.

It will go on forever,

like the ripples in the water.

Now we shall never be apart.

Father!

Father!

My son!

Ali, we sail to Basra tonight.

Ali!

Father!

Ali, you said that

we would never part.

I'm sorry to take

your playmate away, Lady Amara.

But you said...

I said we would never be apart.

And that is true,

for now, wherever I am,

some of my blood is with you

and some of yours with me.

That's alright for you to say,

but you're going to Basra.

So my little son

grows into a man.

My Lord, the dhows are ready.

We await your coming.

Ali.

Yes, Father?

My son, the future of Baghdad

depends upon thisjourney.

If we fail, our people will die

under the heel of the Khan.

But if we succeed, they will live

as a free people once more.

Yes, Father.

About your neck I place

the Royal Seal of Baghdad.

If some evil should befall me,

you, my son, will rule in my place.

Remember this always,

while one of us lives,

Baghdad lives.

I will never fail you

or Baghdad.

My Lord!

Come ashore!

Come ashore at once!

Something has happened

Turn back, Mahmoud.

Turn back?

It may be a trick, my Lord.

Prince Cassim is our friend.

He may be in trouble.

Turn back!

Turn back!

Quickly, over the side.

The Caliph of Baghdad.

You did not lie.

Mighty Khan will reward you greatly.

And the boy?

Where is the boy?

He must have drowned.

Fire the boats!

Close, oh Sesame!

Sesame.

Sesame.

Sesame!

Sesame.

Close, Sesame.

Open, oh Sesame!

Baba!

We've caught a mouse.

Allah defend us.

Another move and you'll die!

Spare me, little master!

Here I lay in the dust before you.

Oh, pity!

Let me go free

and I'll spare him.

The lad has spirit.

Now that you've got him,

what will you do with him?

I'll split his ears.

Cut him up in little pieces.

Tie him up by the thumbs,

that'll take the spirit out of him!

Put him down, I say!

This is no time forjesting.

The boy knows

the secret of our cave.

Then kill him!

No...

It is best

we keep him with us.

I join no band of thieves.

But I will lead you

against the Mongols.

The little mouse shall lead us!

The boy speaks like a king.

I wear the Seal of Baghdad.

By Allah,

the boy speaks the truth!

You were right, Old Baba,

he does belong with us.

Anyone that could steal

that amulet is a thief indeed.

You are the cleverest thief among us.

I am no thief.

The Seal belongs to me.

My father, the Caliph,

gave it to me before he...

before he died at the hands

of the Mongols.

The Caliph is dead?

He was betrayed by Prince Cassim.

Now do you believe me?

Now will you follow me?

We have no love for the Mongols.

If they've stripped Baghdad

of everything worth stealing,

we will soon rob them.

Eh, my men?

We will ride together,

and you, Abdulla,

shall be his guard and protector.

Me, Abdullah?

The terror of Baghdad

nurse to a whimpering infant?

The boy will never whimper.

And should he go hungry,

you will starve.

Should he suffer,

you will be disembowelled.

Abdullah, the fastest rider,

the greatest swordsman,

the fiercest fighter!

Now I'm a nursemaid.

If Allah had granted me a son,

I'd have wished him in your image.

I am known as Old Baba,

and we will call you Young Baba.

No, my name is Ali.

You are welcome, Ali Baba.

Ali Baba!

Ali Baba!

AND SO FAR TEN YEARS

THE MONGOLS HELD BAGHDAD

AND THE PEOPLE DIED IN AGONY

AND ONLY THE BAND OF THIEVES

MADE RESISTANCE:

FOR THE BODY OF ALI BABA

AND THE DESTRUCTION

OF THE BAND OF THIEVES

Ride high, ride high.

Ride!

Ride!

Wrong or right!

Plundering sons,

Thundering sons,

Forty and one for all!

All for one...

Bedouins all, Bedouins all.

Side by side.

Saddle and ride,

Saddle and ride,

Following sons of one.

Swift and sure,

Robbing the rich,

Feeding the poor.

Ride high, ride!

Guide me right to a caravan!

Ride again, Ali Baba men,

Ride high, ride high, ride!

Ride of delight,

following one, son of the sun,

Forty and one for all!

Following one, son of the sun,

Forty and one...

for all!

Open, oh Sesame!

Baba! Baba!

A rich Mongol caravan,

camels by the score,

laden with wealth!

Where did you see such a caravan?

Camped beside

the Pool of Midnight.

They bring wedding gifts

from Basra.

There is a woman in the caravan,

she is betrothed to Hulagu Khan.

The betrothed of the Mighty Khan!

By Allah, that is

a prize worth taking.

It is all ours for the asking.

Treasure like that

is well-guarded.

A few soldiers scattered about,

some aged camel drivers

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