I lack neither good fellowship nor good living, and although I
am styled the unfortunate merchant, I contrive to laugh and be merry in
spite of fate, and shall listen with pleasure and without envy to the
very different career of Abou Hassan, the fortunate merchant, and our
munificent host."

THE STORY OF ABOU HASSAN, THE FORTUNATE MERCHANT.

When Murad Essed had finished speaking all eyes were fixed upon Abou
Hassan, who said: "We have all listened with interest to the story of
our friend Murad Essed, showing how a rich man may become poor; I have
now in my turn to show you, by a relation of my own experience, how a
poor man may become rich.

"But in telling you my history, I should weary you if I were to recall
all the particulars of my early struggles. It will be sufficient to
say that of all that I now possess I inherited nothing, and that only
seven years ago I was as badly off as Murad Essed is at present. About
that time I became acquainted with an old merchant who imparted to me
the secret of the success I have since then obtained. This secret, you
will be perhaps somewhat disappointed to learn, consists neither in a
charm nor in any kind of magical art or sorcery. It is comprised
simply in a particular mode of dealing, and one, in fact, completely
opposed to that which is in general use.

"You know that it is the common habit of merchants when they buy
anything to offer much less for it, and when they sell anything to ask
more for it than the price which they think it is worth. And only
after a long time spent in haggling and bargaining, they conclude their
business.

"But by the advice of my old friend, the merchant, I adopted, and have
constantly adhered to, a totally different plan. When I buy anything I
name what I consider to be a fair price for it; the seller either
accepts my offer at once and without discussion, or refuses. No man
ever refuses the price I offer more than once, because it is my rule
never to deal again with a man who has once refused to deal at my
price. In like manner, when I sell anything, I fix the price I will
accept and rather destroy the goods than part with them for any other
price than that I have put upon them.

"This is the whole secret of my success. My story is, you see, a very
brief one; the origin of my fortune appears very simple when I discover
it to you; but that the plan, simple as it may seem, has its merits,
you may convince yourselves by looking rou