THE SEVENTEEN CAMELS

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 7

THE SEVENTEEN CAMELS

The old Asian mystery of the 17 camels has been revived in a correspondence in the ‘ Sunday Times,' and it bears retelling. An Arab left 17 camels to his three sons in these proportions: One-half to the eldest, onethird to the second, and one-ninth to the youngest. The sons were greatly puzzled, seeing that this number of live beasts is not divisible by two, six or nine. ' ’ A wise old sheikh rode up on his camel anil inquired the cause of the trouble. On this being explained, he said; “ Oh, that’s quite easy. We will place my camel along with your 17 and thus make the number 18. The eldest son must now take his half—that is mne camels; the second his third—that is six; and the youngest his ninth part, of two camels—nine, six", and two added together will make up the 17. Moreover,” added the old man, ■as he rode off on his camel, “you will find that each of you has received more than his expected share.” Since a half, a third, and a ninth part of I, are respectively 8.5, 5.6. and 1.8, it is obvious that the eldest son received half a camel more than his proper share; the second and youngest sons a little over three-tenths and onetenth of a camel in excess of their correct share.