LATERAL THINKING

Many years ago, when a person who owed money couldbe thrown into jail, a merchant in London had themisfortune to owe a huge sum to a money-lender.

The money-lender, who was old, ugly and wicked,fancied the merchant's beautiful teenage daughter.He proposed a bargain. He said he would cancelthe merchant's debt if he could have the girlinstead.

Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified atthe proposal. So the cunning money-lender proposedthat they let Providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and awhite pebble into an empty money-bag and then the girlwould have to pick out one of the pebbles.If she chose the black pebble, she would become hiswife and her father's debt would be cancelled. If shechose the white pebble she would stay with her fatherand the debt would still be cancelled. But if sherefused to pick out a pebble,her father would bethrown into jail and she would starve.

Reluctantly, the merchant agreed. They were standingon a pebble-strewn path in the merchant's garden asthey talked and the money-lender stooped down to pick upthe two pebbles. As he picked up the pebbles, the girl,sharp-eyed with fright, noticed that he picked up twoblack pebbles and put them into the money-bag. He thenasked the girl to pick out the pebble that was to decideher fate and that of her father.

Imagine that you are standing on the path in themerchant's garden. What would you have done ifyou had been the unfortunate girl? Refuse to take apebble? Point out that there are two black pebblesin the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat ?Take a black pebble and sacrifice yourself inorder to save your father from prison?

None of the suggestions is very helpful, for if thegirl does not take a pebble her father goes to prison,and if she does take a pebble, then she has to marrythe money-lender.

NOW, THINK LATERALLY!

The girl in the pebble story put her hand into themoney-bag and drew out a pebble. Without looking atit, she fumbled and let it fall to the path,where it was immediately lost among all the others."Oh, how clumsy of me," she said, "but never mind -if you look into the bag you will be able totell which pebble I took by the Colour of the onethat is left."

Since the remaining pebble is of course black, itmust be assumed that she had taken the white pebble,since the money-lender dare not admit his dishonesty.

In this way, using lateral thinking,the girl changes what seems an impossible situationinto an extremely advantageous one!