By: Monique Tondato

Ali Baba and the Forty

Thieves vs. Aladdin

There are many differences and similarities between Ali Baba, from a language arts textbook, to Aladdin a Disney classic from 1992. These two Arabian Stories are both very different and alike at the same time. Yet both are very enjoyable.

First I will tell you some of the similarities from these two Arabian folk tales. For starters at the end of each story there are weddings. One for Jasmine and Aladdin. The other for

Morgiana and Ali Baba’s son, but they never said his name.

Also in these folk tales, both characters had people who wanted to kill them. In Ali Baba, the forty thieves wanted Ali Baba, because he stole some treasure, but in Aladdin, Jaffar wanted to kill Aladdin, because he wanted to be the one to marry Jasmine.

Both Ali Baba and Aladdin are poor, and for Aladdin it was obvious. He kept stealing food, on the other hand for Ali Baba didn’t give many hints he was poor except in the beginning of the text which said, he was poor unlike his brother.

A difference between these two stories are that in Aladdin, is a rich, caring, princess. In Ali Baba the only person that’s rich is the Widow. And she doesn’t find love, so it is different.

Another difference is, in Ali Baba, Morgiana is the trickster character, a

woman. In Aladdin it ’s Aladdin. Who is a man.

In Aladdin Jaffar has a(n evil) parrot, Jasmine has a tiger, and Aladdin has a monkey which turns into an elephant. So Aladdin is full of pets. In Ali Baba the only animals are donkeys, and the donkeys are used as labor.

Watching and reading Arabian Folk tales were so interesting. I like Ali Baba, because it was a text and reading is better for me because I like imagining the scene in my head. I would definitely read (or watch) more Arabian Folk tales.