Ali Baba was poor and his brother Cassim was rich. Same family, different luck. Cassim married well. Ali Baba married for love and spent twenty years cutting wood.
His wife Fatima ran their house. Could make dinner out of nothing. She was the whole operation and nobody noticed, which is how it usually works.
One day in the forest, Ali Baba heard horses. He climbed a tree. Forty guys, faces covered. They stopped at a rock wall.
The leader said two words: "Open sesame."
The rock split open. They rode in. It closed.
Ali Baba sat in that tree a long time after they left.
Every smart part of his brain said go home.
"Open sesame."
Inside was insane. Not a treasure chest. A warehouse. Decades of stolen stuff. Gold, silk, spices. Room after room.
He took some. Not a lot. Three donkey loads, covered with firewood. Changed their life but not enough for anyone to notice.
Fatima looked at the gold. "Nobody finds out."
"Nobody."
"Especially not Cassim."
Cassim found out. Gold changes how you act. You fix the roof, pay some debts. People notice.
Cassim cornered Ali Baba, who was a terrible liar. Told him everything.
Cassim went to the cave with ten mules and empty bags. Filled all of them.
Then couldn't remember the words to get out.
"Open barley. Open wheat."
The thieves came back.
Ali Baba found his brother. Brought him home. Cried. Even though Cassim was kind of the worst, he was his brother.
The thieves traced it back. Came for Ali Baba three times.
This is where Morgiana comes in. She was a servant. She's also the real hero of the whole story.
First time: a thief marked Ali Baba's door with chalk. Morgiana saw it, went out, and marked every door on the street. Thief came back, saw thirty identical marks, went home.
Second time: a guy rolls up with forty oil jars on a cart. Thirty-nine have men hiding inside. Wait till dark, jump out, kill everyone. Morgiana checked the jars. Heard breathing. Heated the real oil and poured it in the others.
Third time: the leader showed up at dinner in disguise. Morgiana recognized him. Not from his face. From his hands.
She killed him at the table.
Ali Baba gave her her freedom.
The cave stayed. They were careful with it. Took what they needed.
Every family has a Morgiana. The person who sees what everyone else misses. Checks the jars. Marks the doors. Handles it. Usually not the one getting credit.
If you have someone like that, tell them.
Goodnight.