1. 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

2. 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

3. 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.