The merchant’s ears were deaf to these remonstrances of his wife, and he persisted in his design.  When he came into the warehouse, he opened the jar, and found the olives mouldy; but to see if they were all so to the bottom, he turned some of them upon the plate; and by shaking the jar, some of the gold tumbled out.

At the sight of the gold, the merchant, who was naturally covetous, looked into the jar, perceived that he had shaken out almost all the olives, and what remained was gold coin.  He immediately put the olives into the jar again, covered it up, and returned to his wife.  “Indeed, wife,” said he, “you were in the right to say that the olives were all mouldy; for I found them so, and have made up the jar just as Ali Khaujeh left it; so that he will not perceive that they have been touched, if he should return.”  “You had better have taken my advice,” said the wife, “and not have meddled with them.  God grant no mischief happens in consequence!”

The merchant was not more affected with his wife’s last words than he had been by her former, but spent almost the whole night in thinking how he might appropriate Ali Khaujeh’s gold to his own use, and keep possession of it in case he should return and ask him for the jar.  The next morning he went and bought some olives of that year, took out the old with the gold, and filled the jar with the new, covered it up, and put it in the place where Ali Khaujeh had left it.

About a month after the merchant had committed this unworthy action, Ali Khaujeh arrived at Bagdad; and as he had let his house, alighted at a khan, choosing to stay there till he had announced his arrival to his tenant, and given him time to provide himself with another residence.

The next morning Ali Khaujeh went to pay a visit to the merchant his friend, who received him in the most obliging manner; and expressed great joy at his return, after so many years absence; telling him, that he had begun to lose all hopes of ever seeing him again.

After the usual compliments on both sides on such a meeting, Ali Khaujeh desired the merchant to return him the jar of olives which he had left. with him, and to excuse the liberty he had taken in giving him so much trouble.

“My dear friend,” replied the merchant, “you are to blame to make these apologies, your vessel has been no inconvenience to me; on such an occasion I should have made as free with you:  there is the key of my warehouse, go and fetch your jar ; you will find it in the place where you deft it.”

Ali Khaujeh went into the merchant’s warehouse, took his jar; and after having returned him the key with thanks for the favour he had done:  him, returned with it to the khan where he lodged; but on opening the jar, and putting his hand down as low as the pieces of gold had lain, was greatly surprised to find none.  At first he thought he might perhaps be mistaken; and, to discover the truth, poured out all the olives into his travelling kitchen-utensils, but without so much as finding one single piece of money.  His astonishment was so great, that he stood for some time motionless; then lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven, he exclaimed, “Is it possible that a man, whom I took for my friend, should be guilty of such baseness?”