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Show Money

 A ship came to an island inhabited by natives. They came to barter with the natives; their silk for the native’s gold or precious stone, their needles for great fish bones and some other exchanges.

 During the auction (it was so intense New York Stock Exchange players would have a heart attack participating on it) a native approaches a merchant and asked:

“Do you have something to stick papers on the wall?”

“Ah, you want glue. Yes, I have my friend. And what do you have to exchange it with? Do you have gold?”

“No. I don’t have gold. I am poor.”

“How about those hard and brilliant stones…”

“O, cut it.” The native interjected. “ I know what it is; you call it diamond. And I have none. I am very poor.”

“Ok, Anki or whatever you call yourself. Do you have ruby, emerald or any precious stone?” continued the merchant with increasing charm but diminishing hope of a great profit.

In response the native gave a mournful shake. He was very, very poor.

“So what do you have?”

“Not much.”

Unfazed, the merchant patted the native’s shoulder as if they know each other for twenty years and said “Anki, old man, why don’t we visit your place? I might see things I want.”

He did not give the native a chance to reply and simply drag the latter towards the dwelling huts.

As they were about to mount the rickety bamboo stairs of a decrepit house, the merchant asked, “By the way, what are these papers you are pasting on the walls?”

“Oh, they are beautiful. You will see. My huts are almost covered with it now.” Anki answered with visible enthusiasm.

“I got them from a shipwreck on the other side of this island six moons ago.” Anki explained.  “There they are!” he added as he pointed on his walls.

The merchant stood dumbstruck. Anki, who claimed he was very, very poor and has nothing to give for some glue, had, in fact, almost covered the inner wall of his hut with hundred dollar bills!

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