Jamal and Raif lugged the huge item back to the shop.
“What in heaven’s name have you got there?” asked their father.
“A giant teapot!” they exclaimed proudly.
“Why?” said their father.
“We had to buy it – it is so cool!” answered Jamal.
“Oh really?” said his father. “How much?”
“Um…”
“HOW much?”
“Six hundred.”
“Do you boys actually study maths at school?”
“Yes father, we know. It’s a lot of money.”
“Exactly.”
“Look father, it’s a friendly pot?”
“You may think so. I am wondering if a robber broke into our shop, how he might take less money than that.”
“We promise, we’ll make it worthwhile!”
The teapot stood mournfully outside the shop for the next few weeks as Jamal and Raif worked out what to do.
Then, early one morning, they dragged another huge box into the shop.
“Oh, my, what have we here?” said their father.
“This, father, is how we are going to make our name and recover the money.”
The boys unpacked the box which was filled with miniature copies of the giant teapot.
Soon a French lady came in.
“I love your giant teapot,” she said, “Can I buy one of the small ones?”
The boys smiled.
Their father shrugged. As he turned round, he was also smiling.
*
“Do Egyptians really drink that much tea?”
“Sometimes I don’t think they do anything else.”
“So, they are like the English. Tea drinkers.”
“No, Egyptians are much more direct. Jolly good merchants as well.”
“Another nation of shopkeepers. Those young boys seem pretty astute.”
“Isn’t there something wonderful about a business run by a family?”