Many years ago when a person who owed money could be thrown into jail, a merchant in London had the misfortune to owe a huge sum to a money-lender. The money-lender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful teenage daughter. He proposed a bargain. He said he would cancel the merchant's debt if he could have the girl instead.
Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified at the proposal. So the cunning money-lender proposed 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 and then the girl would have to pick one of the pebbles. If she chose the black pebble she would become his wife and her father's debt would be cancelled. If she chose the white pebble she would stay with her father and the debt would still be cancelled. But if she refused to pick out a pebble her father would be thrown into jail and she would starve.
Reluctantly the merchant agreed. They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the merchant's garden as they talked and the money-lender stooped down to pick up the two pebbles. As he picked up the pebbles the girl, sharp-eyed with fright, noticed that he picked up two black pebbles and put them into the money-bag. He then asked the girl to pick out the pebble that was to decide her fate and that of her father.
Imagine that you are standing on that path in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you had been the unfortunate girl? If you had had to advise her what would you have advised her to do?
2004年８月５日―― Norikさん、社会人）
NAOさん（高２）、acoさん（大学３年）、ｋａｚｕさん（ｈ２）、
I would advise her to pick out both pebbles and show that to the marchant,asking him why two same color pebbles are in the bag.Then, she might be able to charge him with the guilty. ...Is this right?（Hiro*さん）
If I'd been her， I would've inserted my hand with a white pebble hidden in it and then picked it out pretending to have chosen it from the two put by the money-lender.（kimさん）
I would have picked a black pebble and become the lender's wife but stayed with my father.And I would have advised her that not every wife lives with her husband.This may be too selfish...（awaさん、高２）
I would advise her to propose the following: if she chose the white pebble she would become his wife and her father's debt would be cancelled. If she chose the black pebble she would stay with her father and the debt would still be cancelled. （ゆうこさん、社会人）
Anyway she should pick a bag and tell them open the other bag. They will find a black pebble in the bag unchosen by her.（Joeさん、社会人）