'You will treat me,' replied I, 'with more
civility when you know me better. Do not trouble yourself; I have
diamonds enough for you and myself too, more than all the other
merchants together. If they have any, it is by chance; but I chose
myself in the bottom of the valley all those which you see in this
bag'; and having spoken those words, I showed them to him. I had
scarcely done speaking, when the other merchants came trooping
about us, much astonished to see me; but they were much more
surprised when I told them my story. Yet they did not so much
admire my stratagem to save myself as my courage to attempt it.
They took me to the place where they were staying all together, and
there having opened my bag, they were surprised at the largeness of
my diamonds, and confessed that in all the courts where they had
been they had never seen any that came near them. I prayed the
merchant to whom the nest belonged (for every merchant had his
own), to take as many for his share as he pleased. He contented
himself with one, and that too the least of them; and when I
pressed him to take more, without fear of doing me any injury,
'No,' said he, 'I am very well satisfied with this, which is
valuable enough to save me the trouble of making any more voyages
to raise as great a fortune as I desire.
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