Presence of mind

Everyone faces problems in their life's. Only those who have courage to face problems and solve it are the ones who can leave happily.Here's a short story of using one's presence of mind in the difficult times of one's life.

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?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble.
Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-
strewn path Where it immediately became lost among all the
other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into
the Bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble
I Picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she
had Picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not
admit his Dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible
situation into An extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we
don't Attempt to think.

Thanks for reading,
Asha

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