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 money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one 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.

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? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

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 above logical answers. What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

The girl should take one of the pebbles and eat it without showing it to the public what pebble she picked. Since the other pebble remaining in the bag is black one, the public assumes that she picked the white one and she need not marry the moneylender and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

Doing this, she doesn't shame the moneylender exposing him as a cheater and on top of that wins the situation.

eating a pebble might cause some serious health problems

A pebble is a small smooth round stone. It can go in from one side and later out of another side easily. :)

If she wouldn't want to eat it, then she can throw it out so that no one sees what pebble was it. ;)

eating a pebble might cause some serious health problems

Not really, the body is capable of tolerating various types of sharp and hard objects without harming itself. There were hundreds of cases of people swallowing, pins, thumbtacks, even kitchen utensils! The GI system somehow is able to propel these objects with ease. In rare cases, if the object is extremely large and sharp can rupture occur. Aslong as these objects are non-toxic, there is little harm, especially from a pebble :).

eating a pebble poses to be a choking hazard and is not recommended. i think you are referring to the version with the paper. it would be wiser to drop the pebble stealthily onto the pebble strewn path so it would blend in with the others. otherwise, good thinking, did you hear the riddle before??

ok then enjoy your pebbles :party20:

Minerals and nutrients from the pebble will be absorbed by the body and the rock go out the body. ;)

lets experiment with that you can be the guine pig

lets experiment with that you can be the guine pig

Let’s find someone suitable subject for that experiment. Since the riddle was about a girl, another girl needs to be a subject of the experiment. Would you volunteer? :D

no but you can ask sunflower to volunteer if she agrees to eat a pebble

no but you can ask sunflower to volunteer if she agrees to eat a pebble

Sunflower, do you agree to volunteer? :party20:

Sunflower, do you agree to volunteer?
no thank you wiseprince, i have to turn down such an offer
but since all humans have the same gastrointestinal system (and since you're the administrator) then lets volunteer another subject....it can be a male as well..... any volunteers?