Dozing Off | Deep Voice ASMR Bedtime Stories

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Part 1 of 2) - Arabian Nights

April 27, 2025·31 min·2 clips

Ali Baba utters 'Open Sesame' and finds a cave filled with unimaginable riches hidden by robbers.

This episode features part one of the classic Arabian Nights tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," narrated by host Lance in his deep, calming voice. Lance introduces the story of two brothers, the wealthy merchant Kasim and the poor woodcutter Ali Baba. While cutting wood in the forest, Ali Baba observes forty armed horsemen arriving at a large rock. The leader speaks the phrase "Open Sesame" to reveal a hidden door in the rock, and the entire troop enters a secret cavern. After they leave, Ali Baba uses the same phrase to enter and discovers a vast treasure of gold, silver, and rich fabrics accumulated by generations of robbers. He takes a portion of gold coins home, confiding only in his wife, who foolishly reveals their secret by borrowing a measure from her sister-in-law, Kasim's wife. A piece of gold sticks to the bottom of the measure, alerting Kasim's wife to their newfound wealth. Kasim confronts Ali Baba and demands the cave's location and the secret phrase, threatening to inform the authorities. Kasim travels to the cave with ten mules but becomes trapped inside when he forgets the magic word, mistakenly saying "Open Barley" instead of "Open Sesame." The returning robbers discover him and kill him, later deciding to cut his body into quarters and hang the pieces inside the cave as a warning. Ali Baba, growing worried, finds his brother's body and, with the help of the clever slave Morgiana, devises a plan to retrieve it and stage a natural death. Morgiana enlists the old cobbler Baba Mustafa, blindfolding him to sew the body back together, and then orchestrates a public funeral to avoid suspicion. The robbers later discover the body and some gold are missing, deducing they have an accomplice to find. Their captain sends a disguised robber into town to investigate, who eventually questions Baba Mustafa at his stall. The cobbler reveals he sewed a dead body without seeing the location, but the robber bribes him with gold to retrace the blindfolded path. A key insight is that the magic phrase "Sesame" is highly specific and forgetting it leads to immediate peril. The narrative highlights how a simple act of borrowing a measure unravels a secret, showcasing a chain reaction from curiosity to catastrophe. Morgiana's intelligence and resourcefulness become central to managing the crisis, contrasting with the initial foolishness of Ali Baba's wife. The story presents wealth as a corrupting force, immediately fracturing the brothers' relationship and triggering envy. The robbers' cave operates on a precise verbal mechanism, making its security both absolute and fragile. A memorable moment is the detailed description of the cave's interior, filled with provisions and heaped treasures illuminated from an opening above. Lance delivers the story in a slow, deliberate, and deeply resonant tone designed for relaxation and sleep. His narration is steady and atmospheric, prioritizing a soothing auditory experience over dramatic performance. The style is a straightforward, descriptive reading of the classic text, maintaining a calm and consistent pace throughout. Listeners who enjoy classic literature, fairy tales, or mythology narrated in a tranquil ASMR style will love this episode. Anyone seeking a plot-driven, fast-paced, or analytical discussion should skip this immersive, slow-burning bedtime story.

As heard by us

A calm bedtime take on Ali Baba and the Forty-Thieves that keeps the danger intact.

This Dozing Off installment keeps Ali Baba and the Forty-Thieves calm and sleep-friendly, with Lance's deep, relaxed delivery carrying the cave, the gold, and the risk of discovery without hurrying the tale.

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Why you'd press play

You want part one of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves told in Lance's deep, relaxing bedtime style.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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