Mercury and the Traveller

One that was just entring upon a long Journey, took up a fancy of putting a Trick upon Mercury. he say'd him a short prayer for the Bon-Voyage, with a Promise that the God should go half with him in whatever he found. Some body had lost a Bag of Dates and Almonds, it seems, and it was his Fortune to find it. He fell to work upon 'em immediately, and when he had eaten up the Kernels, and all that was good of them, himself, he laid the Stones and the Shells upon an Altar; and desir'd Mercury to take Notice that he had perform'd his Vow. For, says he, here are the outsides of the one, and the insides of the other, and there's the Moiety I promis'd ye.