Antiques enthusiast Mary spent all her free time haunting second-hand shops, flea markets, and other likely spots where she might encounter the odd find: a valuable antique of some sort, whose seller was unaware of its value and was offering it for a low price.

On most of her expeditions she came up empty, but she enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and felt amply rewarded when she did manage to purchase a valuable old something-or-other from its unwitting seller.

On one such expedition, buried in the back of a thrift shop, Mary encountered a small, old-fashioned paraffin lighting device. Her heart leapt at the sight of it; she was sure it was worth considerably more than the quid on the price tag.

Unfortunately, though, her newest find was infested with small albino insects that had jumped from the shop’s resident cat. She bought it all the same, though.

Now Mary had a little lamp. Its fleas were white as snow.