This document compares and contrasts the Arabian folktales Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin. [1] Both stories are Arabian folktales that feature thieves and a trickster character, though the heroes are different genders. [2] A key difference is that Ali Baba involves stealing gold while Aladdin does not, possibly due to it being a Disney film. [3] Additionally, Ali Baba is a written story while Aladdin is a movie.

1. Compare and contrast
Ali Baba and the forty thieves and Aladdin are some very similar
folktales. But they have many differences. In this writing piece I’ll tell
you more about them.
One similarity is, both stories are Arabian folktales. Arabian
folktales usually come from Arabia because people there made up stories
involving magic, tricky thieves, sorcery, and mythical creatures. I think
it’s very interesting that people there may be less wealthy than us but
have such creative minds.
Another similarity is both Ali Baba and the forty thieves and
Aladdin have thieves in their story. Thieves that are in my opinion cruel,
greedy, mean, and scary . But thieves in comparison to other stories are
just the same. Another thing is that usually most thieves want gold and
riches. And most of them will do just about anything to get it.
The last similarity is both folktales have a trickster character. In Ali
Baba and the forty thieves Morgana plays the trickster. She earns that
title by killing all of the thieves silently with just some hot oil, and she
also is pretty undercover by only being the housekeeper. In Aladdin,
Aladdin himself plays the trickster because in the end he tricks Jafar into
becoming a genie that’s gets trapped inside a lamp.
A difference between both folktales is in Aladdin, Aladdin doesn’t
steal anything like gold or riches. He steals some bread but nothing
major. But in Ali Baba and the forty thieves he steal a sack full of gold
and doesn’t go to jail! I think Aladdin just because it was a Disney movie
they made it just for kids and saying stealing is not right. You know? I’m
almost positive if it wasn’t a Disney movie it probably would have much
more stealing and such.

2. Another difference between these stories is that Aladdin the hero
character is a boy and in Ali Baba the hero character is a girl. I think this
proves that both genders can be smart and witty. I think that’s cool and
pretty different because you don’t see that very often with there being a
boy and a girl hero.
The last difference is that Aladdin is a movie and Ali Baba is a story
text. I really think this is a big difference in a story. Because with a book
you have to get a picture in your head and with a movie you just see the
picture right there in front of you. I think I like Ali Baba and the forty
thieves format better but Aladdin’s storyline more.
In conclusion I really enjoyed both story’s and had a good time reading
and watching both  I hope we can do more compare and contrast
stories like these.
By:
Jessica