A few times two thieves came for their treasure but couldn’t find the house at night. Finally, the chief himself went, and he was able to remember the house, even without the chalk-mark. As for punishment, he killed the two thieves who had failed in their duty. That night, he disguised himself as an oil merchant, carrying two jars each on nineteen mules. Only one of those jars contained oil; the rest hid the armed robbers inside. He found Alibaba sitting outside his house. Bowing politely to him, the chief requested, “Sir, I am a stranger, here to sell this oil. It’s late to seek a place to stay. May I rest in your house so that I may sell this tomorrow in the market?” Alibaba, not recognising the robber, invited him to rest. Before going inside to sleep, the chief whispered to the hidden thieves that he would give them a signal sometime in the night to come out.
Clever Marjina
When Marjina came into the yard, one of the thieves, thinking it was the chief, asked softly, “Is it time to come out?” Marjina was alert! She whispered back, “Not yet.” Then, peeping into the jars, she found the robbers! Quickly, she brought boiling oil and poured it into the jars, killing all the robbers. The chief was so frightened when he found all the robbers dead, that he ran away! Alibaba and Marjina dug a huge pit to bury the robbers. The chief, however, returned to take revenge, and became friendly with Alibaba’s son. But Marjina recognised him, even in disguise, and saw his dagger. She danced with a knife to entertain the guests, and stabbed the chief to death. When she told Alibaba about the robber chief in disguise, he was so happy that he married her to his son. Alibaba and his family lived prosperously with no fear of thieves!
