Problems are the wake up calls for creativity

Do not limit yourself to few options. FOTOSEARCH  

By SRIRAM BHARATAM

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Summary

• The moneylender fancied the farmer’s daughter, he decided to offer the farmer a deal that would wipe out the debt he owed him, if only he could marry the farmer’s daughter.
• All the villagers opposed this as they felt sorry for the young girl.
• She drew out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the midst of the other pebbles

Long ago, a farmer owed large monies to a wicked, old moneylender.

The moneylender fancied the farmer’s daughter. He decided to offer the farmer a deal that would wipe out the debt he owed him, if only he could marry the farmer’s daughter. All the villagers opposed this as they felt sorry for the young girl.

The moneylender said that was his only option. To be fair he would place two pebbles into a bag, one white and one black. The girl would then have to reach into the bag and pick out a pebble.

If it was black, he would marry her and wipe off the farmer’s debt. If it was white, the debt would be wiped, but the girl wouldn’t have to marry him.

The villagers gathered near the river from where the moneylender bent over and picked two pebbles. Whilst he was picking them, the girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and placed them into the bag.

He asked the girl to reach into the bag and pick one. The girl just had a minute to make a choice:

1. Refuse to pick a pebble from the bag.

2. Take both pebbles out of the bag and expose the moneylender for cheating.

3. Pick a pebble from the bag knowing it was black and sacrifice herself for her father’s freedom.

She drew out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the midst of the other pebbles. She said to the moneylender, “Oh how clumsy of me, never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, it will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

The pebble left in the bag was of course black, the moneylender did not want to be exposed in front of the villagers, he had to play along as if the pebble the girl dropped was white, and clear her father’s debt.