Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

THE THREE QUESTIONS. 393
lough, and their three Ajives -nath them ; they came to a
river over which there was a ferry, but the boat would
take with it but two together. The question is, how
did they make the passage, for no one of them would
trust his wife with another man, unless he was himself
beside her ?
Two women went over first, one went on shore,
and the other came back with the boat, and she took
the third vnth. her. One of them went back and she
stood beside her own husband, and the two husbands
of the women who were over went back with the boat ;
one of them went on shore, and the wife of the man
who was in the boat went into her along with him, and
they went to the other side. His wife went on shore,
and the man who was yonder came in the boat; then
the two men went over ; then there were three men
over, and a woman; this woman took over the other
women by the way of one and one ; and there seem
to be more solutions than one for the problem.
This puzzle, in various shapes, is weU known, e.g.
the Fox, the Goose, and the Bag of Corn.
TOIMHSEACHAIN.
1. C. Co dhiubh is sine an duine na an fheusag ?
F. Is sine an fheusag; oir bba obair a chrutbachaidh ui'e
deanta roimb au duine, agus bba feusag air na gabhair mun robb an
dmne ann.
2. C. Ciod e am fiodh nach 'eil cuagach no direacb ?
F. Min an t-saibb ; cha'n 'eil i cuagacb no direacb.
3. C. Ciod e an rud nach fac an Cruithfhear rianih ; is nach faic
righrean ach anniinic; agus a chi mise na b'uile latha?
F. Cha'n 'eil Cruithfhear ann ach a h'aon ; uime sin cha'n fhaic
e coimeas da fein ; cha'n eil righrean ach tearc, uime sin cha'n fhaic
iad a cheile ach anminic; ach mise chimi mo choimeas feiii na h'uiie
latba db'eirears mi,— peacaicb eile mar mi fein.