Only, have a care
of that Money-lender, for even magic is not proof against his wiles!"
The Farmer went back to his village rejoicing. In fact, the
Money-lender noticed his high spirits at once, and said to himself,
"Some good fortune must have befallen the stupid fellow, to make
him hold his head so jauntily." Therefore he went over to the simple
Farmer's house, and congratulated him on his good fortune in such
cunning words, pretending to have heard all about it, that before
long the Farmer found himself telling the whole story--all except the
secret of blowing the conch, for, with all his simplicity, the Farmer
was not quite such a fool as to tell that.
Nevertheless, the Money-lender determined to have the conch by hook
or by crook, and, as he was villain enough not to stick at trifles, he
waited for a favorable opportunity and stole the conch.
But, after nearly bursting himself with blowing the conch in every
conceivable way, he was obliged to give up the secret as a bad job.
However, being determined to succeed, he went back to the Farmer, and
said coolly: "Look here! I've got your conch, but I can't use it; you
haven't got it, so it's clear you can't use it either.
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