"My master," he said, "begs you to lend him a ganta to measure his gold with."
The chief was astonished at such an extraordinary request, and asked:
"Who is your master?"
"Masoy, who owns many gantas of gold and silver, acres upon acres of land; and uncountable heads of cattle," was the reply.
The ape carried the ganta home, and there he stuck the piece of gold he had found on the inside of the bottom of the measure, and then returned it to the chief.
"Oh, ape!" said the datto, "your master has forgotten to take out one piece of gold. Take it and give it back to him."
"Never mind, sir," answered the ape, "he has so much gold that that small piece is nothing to him. You may keep it."
Some weeks afterward, the ape went again to borrow the chief's ganta.
"What do you want it for now?" asked the chief.
"To measure my master's silver with," was the answer. So he carried it home, stuck inside the piece of silver he had found, and returned it. The chief found the piece of silver and offered to return it, but was answered as before, that it did not matter.
The chief believed all that the ape said, but was puzzled to know how such a rich man could be living in his territory without his having heard of him.