This document compares and contrasts the Arabian folktales Ali Baba and Aladdin. Some key similarities are that both stories are set in Arabian cities and feature poor main characters who become rich by the end. Differences include that Ali Baba involves 40 thieves while Aladdin features a single thief, and Ali Baba's brother is cut into pieces while Aladdin has no brother. Magical elements like a flying rug and genie help Aladdin but not Ali Baba. Analyzing the similarities and differences helped the author better understand Arabian folktales.