expended, he took one of the dishes, and went to look for his Jew chapman; but passing by a goldsmith’s shop, the goldsmith called to him and said, “My lad, I imagine that you have something to sell to the Jew, whom I often see you visit; but perhaps you do not know that he is the greatest of rogues. I will give you the full worth of what you have to sell, or I will direct you to other merchants who will not cheat you.”
This offer induced Aladdin to pull his plate from under his vest and show it to the goldsmith; who at first sight saw that it was made of the finest silver, and asked him if he had sold such as that to the Jew. Aladdin told him that he had sold him twelve such, for a piece of gold each. “What a villain!” cried the goldsmith. “But, what is past cannot be recalled. By showing you the value of this plate, which is of the finest silver we use in our shops, I will let you see how much the Jew has cheated you.”
The goldsmith took a pair of scales, weighed the dish, and assured him that his plate would fetch by weight sixty pieces of gold, which he offered to pay down immediately.
Aladdin thanked him for his fair dealing, and never after went to any other person.
Aladdin now frequented the shops of the principal merchants, where they sold cloth of gold and silver, linens, silk stuffs, and jewelry, oftentimes joining in their conversation, and so acquired a knowledge of the world, and a de-
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