From the Rug Expert's point of view: He's just found a masterpiece, a priceless rug, dirty and decrepit, sitting on the back of a donkey. A donkey that just happens to be owned by a donkey seller. So, he decides to buy it. However, he doesn't want the donkey seller to know that he's actually buying the rug. So he pretends to buy the donkey. The seller catches on, but thinks the donkey is special, not the rug.
From the donkey seller's point of view: He has a rug handed down to him that he says is lucky. He knows it's special, but pretends not to. When this American wants to buy the donkey, he probably knows all along that it's about the rug, but he acts as if he just wants to sell the donkey. Then, he pretends that he's "figured it out," and says to the two other men that the donkey must be special, to get them to buy it for more. Then, when they finally agree on a price, he keeps the rug, because the two men didn't actually buy it. This donkey seller plays a smart game, by layering his actions. There's him just selling a donkey, him realizing that it's a special donkey (both of those acted out), and then him knowing that he's selling them a donkey for the rug on its back. He probably knew all along that the rug was why these two "greenhorns" were buying the old, mangy, run down donkey.
good point!
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