Once upon a time Mullah Nasruddin had a stall in the market where he bought and sold eggs. Farmers would bring him baskets of eggs, which he would buy, and then sell them in small lots to the townspeople. And his stall was always very busy.

One day a friend stopped at Nasruddin’s stall, and observed his way of doing business. After a time, he said to Nasruddin, “Mullah, you seem to have got your trading backward. You buy ten eggs from a farmer for a copper coin, and then for a copper coin you sell to the townspeople twelve eggs. All the other traders would buy twelve from the farmer and sell ten to the townspeople for that price.”

“That may be so,” said the Mullah, “But look around the market and tell me – who has more customers? Imagine how jealous the other traders are!”