the chief of the thieves pretends to be an oil merchant in need of ali baba 's hospitality , bringing with him forty thieves hiding in oil jarsmules loaded with thirty - eight oil jars , one filled with oil , the other thirty - seven hiding the other remaining thieves . once ali baba is asleep , the thieves plan to kill him . again , morgiana discovers and foils the plan , killing the thirty - seven thieves in their oil jars by pouring boiling oil on them . when their leader comes to rouse his men , he discovers that they are dead , and escapes .
an oil merchant .
what does the chief of thieves pretend to be ?
what does the chief of thieves pretend to be ?