This version of ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ from the Arabian Nights, is a morality tale pitting rich against poor: a poor brother becomes instantly rich through magic, and a rich brother is punished for unscrupulous arrogance and greed. Despite interfamily dissention, the traditional marriage between first cousins takes place.

Once there were two brothers, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had three sons, and the poor one three daughters. In those days, it was the custom for first cousins to marry. However, the rich family kept the young people apart.

After all, how would it look if the rich sons married their poor cousins?

The marriage of his daughters worried the father, but feeding them every day worried him even more. One day, having no food in the house, the poor man, a woodsman by trade, took off for the forest, his axe slung over his shoulder. All day he searched for precious woods to sell in the market, but found none. When night approached, too tired to return home, and afraid of wild animals, he spread his cloak on the top of branches of a tall tree, and fell into a deep sleep.

Towards midnight, suddenly, he was awakened by voices and galloping horses. Silently, he watched as a hundred men on horseback, all thieves, dismounted and stood around a huge boulder. “Open Sesamo,” said their chieftain, and the rock parted revealing an enormous cave. Once the thieves were inside, the chief said, “Close Sesamo,”and the rock closed.

At dawn, the thieves, each carrying a sack, emerged from the cave, mounted their horses and rode away. As before, the chieftan called out, "Close, Sesamo,” and the rock closed. As soon as they were out of sight, and the dust from their horses settled, the woodsman climbed down from the tree. Standing in front of the rock, he called out, “Open Sesamo,” and the rock parted. “What miracle is this?” he exclaimed, as he peered into the cave. Trembling with excitement, as well as fear, he cautiously walked in. There, in front of his eyes was a dazzling array of gold, emeralds, pearls, and other precious stones; the likes of which he had never seen before. Suddenly worried that the thieves might return, he hurriedly filled a sack with jewels, and hauled it out of the cave. “Close, Sesamo,” he said, and the rock closed behind him.

On his return home, he showed his wife and daughters his treasure of precious stones. "Oh, God has delivered us from poverty and want,” and they shed many tears of gratitude. No longer poor, they bought food, clothes, and luxuries they had never dreamed of before. Next, he looked for a house to buy. To tell the truth, they had lived their whole life long in nothing but a hovel, and now they could afford a palace.

That very day, he went to an auction sale to bid on a spacious and expensive house, the finest in town. Several of his neighbors, also interested in buying, laughed when they saw him. “What is this poor man doing here”? they asked contemptuously. “He does’nt have a cent to his name.” Finally, the bidding began. A wealthy neighbor made the first bid of $50,000.00. Without hesitation, the woodsman countered with an offer of $100,000.00. Everyone stared at him. “Is that man crazy?”, they whispered among themselves. “Where would he get five cents, let alone $100,000.00?” Finally, the auctioneer closed the bidding. “The house is yours,” he said to him, “Just sign here. Can you bring the money this afternoon?” To everyone’s astonishment, the “poor” man said, “Oh, no, I’ll give it to you right now.” He pulled out a roll of bills, counted out the correct amount, and handed it to the auctioneer who handed him the keys.

The next day, the family moved into the new house, sumptuously outfitted with fine furniture, hand woven rugs, and satin drapes. Each daughter had her own room, the kitchen had the latest equipment, and the pantry was stocked with the rarest delicacies. Came Passover, they bought plump foul, and freshly caught fish, and made all the special pastries and sweets for the holiday season.

Meanwhile the rich brother, who knew nothing of his brother’s good fortune, sent his servant with the usual leftovers from their Passover seder to his poor relatives. To her surprise, she found the broken down shack where they had lived completely empty, and the small garden overrun with weeds. “They are rich now, and have moved to a house, bigger and better than the king’s”, said a neighbor.

When the servant finally found the new house, she was greeted affectionately, invited to a delicious meal, and given presents, beautiful clothes, just for her own use. “Tell my brother in law,” said the poor man’s wife, “he and his family are welcome to visit us.”

On her return, the servant described to her mistress all she had seen. “Señora,” she said, “you will die of envy if you saw that house!” One of their rooms is worth all of yours. Go see it.” When her husband came home that night, she told him the news about his brother. “I cannot imagine where he got the money,” she said biting her lips with vexation, “but I mean to find out. Tomorrow, after the Sabbath service, meet me at their house, and be sure to bring the boys with you. I’ll be waiting for you.”

When she arrived, her sister in law embraced her affectionately, and invited her to spend the day with the family. But the sight of such riches made her faint with envy. First, she approached the eldest daughter, “My darling”, she said putting her arm around the girl, “if you tell me where your father got the money, I promise you can marry my son.” The girl refused to answer. Then she spoke to the middle daughter, “My pretty niece, tell me where the money comes from, and you can marry my son”. And she also refused to answer. But the youngest told her all about the jewels, and the magic words that could open the cave.

The next day, the rich brother, dressed as a woodsman, an ax flung over his shoulder, walked into the forest until he found the tree his niece had described. Night fell, but being fat and a little short of breath, as well as too frightened to climb the tree, he spread his mat on the ground nearby, and waited. Soon the thieves arrived. “Open, Sesamo”, said the chief. The rock parted, and they filed into the cave. Within a few minutes, the chief, with the others close behind him, rushed out brandishing his sword. “Who dares to be rob me?” he shouted, his face livid with anger. “When I find you I’ll cut you into little pieces!” They searched everywhere, and soon found the rich man hiding behind the tree, petrified with fear. Mercilessly, they beat him until nothing was left of him.

Meanwhile, his wife waited anxiously at home. When he did not return after four days, she went to see her brother in law, and told him the whole story. “What can have happened to him?” she cried, wringing her hands in despair. “Probably the thieves found him," he said sadly, “and killed him.” The next day, he went into the forest. There on the ground near the tree, were his brother’s remains. He put the bits and pieces into the sack, and brought them home for burial. “You see,” he said to his sister in law, “this is your reward for envy.” The poor woman went back to her house, lay back in her bed, and died within the hour.

Her children, however, married their cousins, and, as far as I know, lived happily ever after.