Lord Ali-Baba by Hilaire Belloc
The story revolves around a young man who discovers a hidden cave and meets a mysterious figure known as the Old Man of the Mountain. The Old Man teaches him how to use magic words to gain access to the cave, where he finds a treasure trove of gold. He returns home with his newfound wealth but soon realizes that the magic words have been stolen from him by thieves. He sets out on a journey to reclaim his treasure and ultimately discovers that the true source of power lies not in the magic words, but in his own wit and cunning. The story is a satirical commentary on the nature of wealth and power, as well as the dangers of relying too heavily on external sources of authority.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1902 · Genre: Satire, Poetry, Fable · 119 words
First lines
Lord Ali-Baba was a Turk Who hated every kind of work, And would repose for hours at ease With Houris seated on his knees.
A happy life! -- Until, one day
Mossoo Alphonse Effendi Bey (A Younger Turk: the very cream And essence of the New Regime) Dispelled this Oriental dream By granting him a place at Court, High Coffee-grinder to the Porte, Unpaid: -- In which exalted Post His Lordship yielded up the ghost.
What this Textopian page supports
Lord Ali-Baba is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Poetry, Fable, Political Commentary, Humor
- Length: 119 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Lord Ali-Baba by Hilaire Belloc
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Lord Ali-Baba?
- How does this short story by Hilaire Belloc fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Sausage Balloon by Oliver Herford
- Lord Hippo by Hilaire Belloc
- Puck Lost And Found by Lewis Carroll
- Soup On A Sausage Peg by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Woggle Bug Book by L. Frank Baum
- The Camelopard by Hilaire Belloc
Genres
- Satire — The poem uses humor and irony to critique societal norms and political changes, particularly the shift from traditional to modern values.
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, employing rhyme and meter to convey its narrative and themes.
- Fable — The narrative presents a moral lesson through the story of a character whose laziness leads to an ironic downfall.
- Political Commentary — The poem reflects on political changes and critiques the impact of modernization and reform in a traditional society.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Fantasy · Adventure · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Children's Literature · Classic · Nonsense Verse · Poetic Prose · Wordplay · Puns