17 camels and 3 sons story
The story of “17 camels and 3 sons” is a classic Middle Eastern tale that goes as follows:
A wealthy man passed away, leaving behind 17 camels as part of his inheritance to be divided among his three sons. The man had stated in his will that the eldest son was to receive half of the camels, the middle son was to receive one-third of the camels, and the youngest son was to receive one-ninth of the camels.
The sons, unable to divide the 17 camels into the proportions stated in the will, became frustrated and began to argue. They sought the advice of a wise old woman who lived nearby. She listened to their dilemma and thought for a while before coming up with a solution.
The old woman suggested that the sons should add her own camel to the inheritance, making a total of 18 camels. She then instructed the eldest son to take half of the camels, which would be nine, and the middle son to take one-third of the camels, which would be six. Finally, she told the youngest son to take one-ninth of the camels, which would be two.
After the sons had taken their share, there was one camel remaining, which they gave back to the old woman. The sons were pleased with the solution and thanked the old woman for her wisdom.
The story teaches the importance of finding creative solutions to problems and the value of seeking the advice of those who are wise and experienced.