By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
The story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is, after the tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (which we have analysed here), the best-known of the Arabian Nights stories. The words ‘Open, Sesame!’ are famous even to people who have never read the story of the crafty thief and his adventures. But there are a number of curious details about this story which are less well-known.