A farmer's daughter is faced with a dilemma when an ugly old man who is owed a debt proposes to annul it if she marries him. He puts two black pebbles in a bag and tells her if she picks one, she must marry him. However, if she picks the white pebble or refuses, her father will go to jail. Noticing he used two black pebbles, she cleverly drops the one she picks so its color can't be identified, but reveals his cheating by having him show the other pebble, which is also black. This allows her to avoid marrying him and saves her father from imprisonment.

1. A Story
about two pebbles
Over photos
of China!

2. The difference between logical
thoughts and “lateral” thoughts.

3. There was once in a small village a farmer who owed an important sum of money
due to be repaid to a very ugly old man.

4. The farmer had a very pretty daughter
that the old lender was sweet on,
the lender proposed a deal:

5. He said he would annul the debt
if he could marry his daughter

6. .Both the farmer and his daughter
were horrified about this proposition

7. So, the old lender suggested hazard should determine
the outcome of his proposition.

8. He told them he would put two pebbles
one black and one white in an empty money bag,

9. And, the daughter would pick, without looking …

10. One of the two pebbles.

11. 1) If she picks a black one, she must marry me
And the debt to her father is eliminated…..

12. 2) If she picks the white pebble, she doesn’t have to marry me
and the debt is also eliminated

13. 3) If she refuses to pick a pebble, her father will go to jail

14. While speaking, the old lender leaned forward
and picked up two pebbles.

15. As he was picking them up, the daughter with a sharp eye…

16. Noticed he had picked up two black pebbles and put them in the money bag

17. But, she said nothing.

18. The old lender asked the daughter
to pick a pebble out of the bag

19. This discussion was taking place on the road in front of the farmer’s house
and the road was paved with pebbles

20. Imagine for an instant what you would have done.

21. What would you have suggested the daughter to do?

22. If we analyse the situation, there are 3 possibilities :

23. 1) The daughter refuses to pick a pebble

24. 2) The daughter picks out both pebbles
revealing the old lender cheated

25. 3) The daughter picks out a black pebble and sacrifices herself by
marrying the old « coot » and saves her father from emprisonment

26. Take a moment
to reflect on this
situation

28. This story means
to illustrate a point…..

29. The difference between logical thought
and so called “lateral”thought.

30. The daughter’s dilemma cannot be resolved equitable manner

31. By traditional logic

32. Think of the consequences of each of the three possible options.

33. So, what would you have done ?

34. Here is what the young woman did :

39. She plunged her hand in the bag picked a pebble and,
clumsily, dropped it on the ground

40. before it could be determined whether it was black or white,
it mixed with other pebbles on the ground

41. Ah ! Gosh! I sure am clumsy, said the young woman….

42. But no matter: if I remove the other pebble from the bag ….

43. We will know which pebble I had picked first dont you think?

44. Since the second pebble
was black,,

45. The first had to
have been white

46. . The old lender didn’t dare
announce his cheating, ….

47. The young woman transformed
a seemingly impossible situation

48. Into a very advantageous ending !

51. Moral of the story:

52. A solution exists
for most problems

53. It’s just that we don’t always know how to
examine every angles of the situation

54. May 2011 be full of positive thoughts and wise decisions!

60. Bonne journée