What would you do?
by Triple C (CCC) on 03/26/13
Many years ago in a
small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money
to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the
farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo
the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his
daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning moneylender suggested
that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a
black pebble & a white pebble into an empty moneybag. Then the girl would
have to pick 1 pebble from the bag.
1) If
she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt
would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble-strewn path
in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two
pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up
two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a
pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the
field. What would you have done if you were the girl?
If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The
above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference
between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with
traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the below
logical answers.
1. Refuse to take a pebble?
2. Show to all that the
moneylender was a cheat and expose the 2 pebbles?
3. Pick a black pebble
and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt &
imprisonment.
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