thereof; so he said to him, "How much, O my lord, for this
platter?" And Alaeddin answered him, saying, "Thou knowest how
much it is worth." The Jew was perplexed how much he should give
Alaeddin for the platter, by reason of his having made him an
adroit answer, and bethought himself to give him little, but
feared lest he should be aware of its value and debated with
himself if he should give him much. Then said he in himself,
"Most like he knoweth not its value;" so he brought out of his
pocket a gold diner and gave it to him. When Alaeddin saw the
diner in his hand, he took it and went off in haste, whereby the
Jew knew that the lad was unaware of the value of the plate and
repented him sore that he had given him a gold diner and not a
carat of three-score: [FN#307]

Meanwhile Alaeddin tarried not, but went forthright to the baker
and bought of him bread and changed the diner; then, returning to
his mother, he gave her the bread and the rest of the money and
said to her, "O my mother, go and buy us what we need." So she
arose and going to the market, bought all that they needed and
they ate and were cheered. Then, whenassoever the price of a
platter was spent, Alaeddin would take another and carry it to
the Jew; on which wise the accursed Jew bought them all of him
for a small matter and would fain also have reduced the price;
but, since he had given him a diner the first time, he feared to
offer him less, lest the lad should go and sell to
another [FN#308] and he lose that excessive profit. Accordingly,
Alaeddin ceased not to sell him platter after platter till he had
sold them all and there was left him only the tray whereon they
had been; then, for that it was big and heavy, he went and
fetched the Jew to the house and brought out to him the tray.