1. Compare and Contrast
By Trevor Hendy
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is a story written in words. It is an
Arabian folktale about a man named Ali Baba who finds the treasure
cave of forty thieves. Aladdin is a movie, and also an Arabian folktale.
It is about a boy named Aladdin who gets a lamp with a genie in it
when the evil Jafar makes him go get it. Both of these stories have
many similarities and differences. It will be interesting to see which
story is better.
First, they are both Arabian folktales, as I said before. They may
not be in the exact same place or at the same time, but they are
definitely in similar settings. Aladdin shows the city surrounded by a
desert. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves does not say anything about the
environment surrounding the town, but it could definitely be a desert.
They are both in times that use swords as main weapons. All these
may be results of both being Arabian folktales.
Second, both stories have main characters that are poor at the
beginning and rich at the end. Ali Baba lives in a small house without
much money, but he finds the treasure cave with the robbers'
treasure. Aladdin marries Jasmine and becomes a prince after living on
the streets stealing.
They are also similar because they both have caves that open
magically with treasure inside. Ali Baba finds the robbers' cave that
opens with the words,"Open, sesame!" Aladdin has the cave shaped
like a tiger's mouth that rises out of the sand when two pieces are put
together. Aladdin finds Genie and the magic carpet in there.
Last, they both have marriage at the end. Morgiana marries Ali
Baba's son after she saves Ali Baba's life twice. Aladdin marries
Jasmine after he stops Jafar.
These two stories have many similarities, but they also have many
differences. One major one is that Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is
written in words, but Aladdin is a movie. This definitely impacts what
the audience pictures as a movie gives the picture, and a written story
gives descriptions for you to form pictures with your imagination.
Also, there is more magic in Aladdin. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
has the cave that opens with, "Open, sesame!" but that's the only
magic. The cave in Aladdin also opens with magic, but there are many
other magical things such as Genie, the magic carpet, and Jafar's
hypnotic staff.
Another thing is that the main character in Aladdin is a criminal.
He's so poor he has to steal things from shops with his monkey, Aboo.

2. Ali Baba does not steal or do anything against the law. From his
personality, he wouldn't even think of doing things like that.
Finally, in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, there are forty bad guys:
the forty thieves. In Aladdin, there is only one: Jafar, or two if you
count his parrot.
As you can see, there are many similarities and differences between
Aladdin and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Although they are both
great stories, I like Aladdin more. Maybe I could see or read more
Arabian folktales to see if I like those, too.