Once Upon a Time ... there lived a poor woodsman whose name was ALI BABA. While going to work one morning in the forest, ALI hears an approaching band of thieves. As he and his donkey, POORBA, hide, the marauding thieves stash their ill-gotten treasures into a huge rock that looks like a skull. "Open, Sesame!" is the CHIEF THIEF's cry, as the rock magically opens. After they leave, ALI tries it out for himself: "Open, Sesame!" and he and POORBA are soon inside a cave of treasures beyond their wildest dreams.

When ALI returns home to tell his wife what has happened, she berates him for not getting any work done and for making up stories about treacherous thieves and vast riches, but becomes a fast believer when presented with pearls and bags of gold. Her "Darling ALI" is an instant hero.

Meanwhile, ALI’s greedy brother, CASSIM, who lives in the house next door, sees everything through his window. Wanting his share of the treasure, he heads over to the Baba household. When ALI refuses to tell his secret, CASSIM threatens to report him to the vizier¹. Fearful of losing everything, and being pragmatic, MRS. BABA spills the beans.

Cast of characters.

CASSIM heads for the cave and is trapped by the returning thieves. When CASSIM's donkey, MOOLAH, returns home without him, ALI realizes the trouble his brother has gotten himself into and returns to rescue him. The rescue turns into a plan to protect CASSIM from vengeful thieves who are fearful that whoever "stole" CASSIM, knows their secret password.

MORGIANA, CASSIM's poor servant girl, eventually saves the day. SELIM, ALI’s only son, is secretly in love with her. Knowing he is poor himself, though, with nothing to offer her, he cannot bring himself to express his love. It is through the values that ALI places on one's inner riches that SELIM comes to discover his true inner worth. And with the conviction of self-knowledge, he tells MORGIANA how much he loves her, and she, in turn, how much she loves him.

1: The vizer is a high official in certain countries.