Arabian Nights Page #2

palace... then I went away.

I don't remember anything

about my childhood.

What's to remember? I was

a child! Why should l?

What is it, Sire?

I don't trust you.

There's something going

on I don't know about.

Your Giafar's daughter, yet he let you...

Marry me.

Oh, I dream too much...

Forty nights...

Can't sleep, so I dream.

My father always takes a glass of wine

and a biscuit before going to bed.

This isn't a night when a

man is supposed to sleep.

There.

Is something the matter?

That biscuit has sesame seeds...

I don't like sesame seeds...

Did I say something funny?

No. It's just that " sesame seeds"

remind me of a wonderful story...

Would you like to hear it?

I don't like stories.

You will this one. It's about

Ali Baba and the forty thieves.

Forty thieves?...

Forty nights of dreaming,

and now Forty Thieves...

That's strange!

Yes, but no stranger than the story itself.

You see, Ali Baba was a poor young

man who lived outside Damascus.

His best friend had a hump,

four legs and very big teeth.

Saffrow was one of the

wisest camels in all Syria.

Ali Baba's only family was

an older brother, Cassian.

I know Saffrow, I know.

Cassian!

Wake up

It's time to get up. Come on.

Unlike his young brother,

Cassian was so lazy.

I told you I don't like stories.

A master storyteller once told me,

The audience must be hooked

in the first moments,

Otherwise you've lost them.

I'm lost.

That's because I haven't told

you about Black, Black Coda.

At the time the kingdom was

being ravaged by savage gangs.

Black Coda led the most murderous of them.

A monster.

Black Coda.

No one was safe.

What's he got to do with Ali Baba?

He made Ali Baba rich and famous.

No caravan could travel without fear.

They never knew when or where

Black Coda would strike next.

He was a master of disguise.

Meanwhile, Ali Baba was collecting

firewood to sell in the local market.

He was a really good-hearted young man.

It's a slow way to make a fortune, Saffrow

And I've so many good

ideas for making money...

Like my scheme for watering plum trees

with alcohol to grow stewed plums.

I don't care what you think,

Saffrow, I think it's a good idea.

You think that's trouble, do you Saffrow?

I think you're right.

Saffrow's warning saved Ali Baba.

Animals can be cleverer than their masters.

And you can trust them.

Open Sesame!

Down!

That must be Black Coda.

What do you think of that?

Sesame... that's the seeds that Mother used

to make those biscuits with, aren't they?

Why would it be...

Sesame?

Open Sesame!

Down boys!

Down.

Open Sesame!

Saffrow!

Saffrow!

We're rich!

Have you ever seen anything like it?

Only in your wildest dreams!

It's raining.

Mother, bring in the washing.

No it's not raining, your mother's

been dead for five years. Get up!

- What's for breakfast? - Fresh air.

Why are you sleeping on

the edge of the bed?

So I can just drop off.

Well, get up... I've got

something to show you.

We're going to have to move house...

In case the robbers find

out who was in their cave.

- I want my share. - Of course.

I don't want it all for myself.

- What half-and-half? - Half-and-half.

- I'm going to the cave to get my

share. - No, it could be dangerous.

I can take care of myself.

If you must go, take Saffrow,

he knows the way. He'll see you

Don't get into any trouble.

Saffrow's a camel!

"You don't think I need a camel

to look after me, do you?"

Both Ali Baba and Saffrow nodded.

There was no question in their minds

that Cassian certainly needed someone

To look after him.

Why was Cassian any different

from Ali Baba?

Ali had something Cassian never had...

A good heart...

You think a good heart can protect people?

Have you ever known anyone

with a good heart?

No.

Well, anyway, with Saffrow's help,

Cassian found the robber's cave.

Open!

What is it?

Open..Open

Ali Baba has given Cassin 2 biscuit

to remind him of the password.

"Open sesame!"

Down boys!

I must get Saffrow.

Open... open!

Open...

Open...

Open corn!

Open barley!

Open Sesame!

Open Sesame...

That was it. Open Sesame...

Meanwhile, whilst Cassian was getting

himself killed, Ali Baba had hired

Himself a young serving girl, Morgiana,

to help him now he had money...

What was this Morgiana like?

Some said she was beautiful.

But she was certainly clever...

- And very independent.

- She sounds like you.

Like Me?

Oh, no, she wasn't like me.

Not like me at all!

That's everything, sir.

Saffrow...

Where's my brother?

Where's Cassian?

That should scare off anyone nosing about.

- Do you think he was with anybody else?

- Nah! They's still have been with him.

And get rid of those two

dragons, they're useless.

Oh, poor Cassian!

I should have tried harder to stop him.

Oh no, don't blame yourself.

Come, we should leave as soon as possible.

No, we must take him with us.

Is that wise?

When the robbers come back

and see the body's gone,

They'll know Cassian had friends or family...

They might try and find you, and do

to you what they did to your brother.

I know you're right Morgiana, but

he must have a decent burial.

We can't... we can't leave him for

the vultures to pick on his bones.

He's my brother.

Cassian had a wonderful funeral. It was

the talk of the city for weeks after.

Cassian must have been very

popular. He had many friends.

- I hope we gave complete

satisfaction - Very good job sir.

The "Damascus Mourners Association"

has a reputation second to none.

Did you see how Mustaffa

threw himself into the grave?

You only get that with

the "Damascus Mourners."

We not only provide all

the funeral arrangements,

But the weeping and gnashing of teeth too.

Remember us, if you have

more deaths in the family.

Someone else knows.

I made a mistake. I have to correct it.

We had been robbed chief jewels

and gold coins are missing.

What should we do?

How much?

Only a couple of sackfuls.

That means there was only two

are three thieves at most.

We'll have to search for them in Damascus.

Where do we look?

They took the body for burial,

so we find out

Who's come into money recently

and could afford a rich funeral.

That's very clever, Chief... I

would never've thought of that.

No "nor mes."

Spare me your "nor mes."

We go into the city in ones

and twos and in disguise,

Or they'll hang us on sight.

Black Coda's men drifted

inconspicuously into the city.

Robbers find nothing wrong in robbery,

except when it happens to them.

- I feel... sad. - But don't

you like your new house?

Of course I do.

I just wish Cassian were here to

enjoy it with me... I miss him.

It's natural... he was your brother.

Everyone should have good fortune...

But it just much better

If there's someone to enjoy it with.

Coda's men were hot on the trail.

They dug up Cassian's body to

make sure they had the right man.

This belonged to the late

Cassian, brother of Ali Baba,

Who has just come into money.

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