Open Sesame

"Open Sesame" (Arabic إفتح يا سمسم iftaḥ ya simsim 'open, O sesame') is a magical phrase in the story of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" in One Thousand and One Nights. It opens the mouth of a cave in which forty thieves have hidden a treasure; "Close Sesame" re-seals the cave.

Documentation

The phrase appears in Antoine Galland's Les Mille et une nuits (1704–1717) as "Sésame, ouvre-toi" 'sesame, open!'.^[1] No earlier Arabic-language source is known for the phrase. It has been translated into English as "Sesame, Open",^[2] "Open, Sesame" and "Open, O Simsim".^[3]

Classification

Open Sesame has been classified by Stith Thompson as motif element D1552.2, "Mountain opens to magic formula".^[4]

Use in the story

In the story, Ali Baba overhears the thieves saying "open sesame". His brother later cannot remember the phrase, and confuses it with the names of other grains.

Origin

There are many theories about the origin of the phrase. Indeed, it is not certain that the word "sesame" actually refers to the sesame plant or seed.

Some older, rejected, theories include:

• Sesame is a reduplication of the Hebrew šem 'name' i.e. God or a kabbalistic word representing the Talmudic šem-šamáįm 'name of heaven'.^[5]
• Sesame is connected to Babylonian magic practices which used sesame oil.^[6]

In popular literature

In Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves, Popeye does not understand the phrase "open sesame": "I wonder what that word was he used when he opened this door? Open sissy! Open sayso!" Later, he opens his can of spinach saying "Open, says me!"^[7]

Arabic & Indian literature

In India the phrase is used in many movies and literature^{[weasel words]} as "Khulja Simsim"^{[citation needed]} which means open sesame. As we already know,^{[neutrality is disputed]} in Arabic literature,^{[citation needed]} the original^{[citation needed]} and real phrase is "iftah ya simsim" that proves^{[dubious – discuss]} that the original word was simsim which was translated in English as sesame.

Notes

1. ^ http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5564679j/f299.image.r=sesame.langEN
2. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=-hFAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA562
3. ^ Burton
4. ^ S. Thompson, Motif-index of folk-literature : a classification of narrative elements in folktales, ballads, myths, fables, mediaeval romances, exempla, fabliaux, jest-books, and local legends", 1955-1958. [1] cf. Aarne–Thompson classification system
5. ^ Peiser, as reported in Haupt
6. ^ Nöldeke, as reported in Haupt
7. ^ Memorable quotes for Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves at IMDB [2]

Bibliography

• (English) Paul Haupt, "Open Sesame" in Beiträge zur assyriologie und semitischen sprachwissenschaft 10:2, 1927, p. 165ff. Originally presented at the meeting of the American Oriental Society, Washington, April 15, 1916.