Squire Hembrow, from Weston Zoyland--wherever that may be--proposed the
following little arithmetical puzzle, from which it is probable that
several somewhat similar modern ones have been derived: Farmer Rouse sent
his man to market with a flock of geese, telling him that he might sell
all or any of them, as he considered best, for he was sure the man knew
how to make a good bargain. This is the report that Jabez made, though I
have taken it out of the old Somerset dialect, which might puzzle some
readers in a way not desired. "Well, first of all I sold Mr. Jasper
Tyler half of the flock and half a goose over; then I sold Farmer Avent a
third of what remained and a third of a goose over; then I sold Widow
Foster a quarter of what remained and three-quarters of a goose over; and
as I was coming home, whom should I meet but Ned Collier: so we had a mug
of cider together at the Barley Mow, where I sold him exactly a fifth of
what I had left, and gave him a fifth of a goose over for the missus.
These nineteen that I have brought back I couldn't get rid of at any
price." Now, how many geese did Farmer Rouse send to market? My humane
readers may be relieved to know that no goose was divided or put to any
inconvenience whatever by the sales.
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