The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-07-23
A STORY FOR CHILDREN.
The Prince Who Gave Away th e
Weight Of an Elephant I'm Silver.

" clKnG 0l an kIhe Rmank IN SIAVCEs
The story that follows is for girls and
boys who are just beginning to study the
arithmetic. 1t is not only a story, but
may be called The Elephant Example"
OF course big children can make it out
easily, but it may cause the beginners to
think good deal. Big children, there
fore, need not send the answer to be
printed in the next FLoRIDIAN, but
any Of the beginners may send the answer.
Well, here is the example: In the far
away country of Hindostan, which is on
the other side of the world, there once
lived a Prince named Shajee Perhaps
bad boys called him sold Shaggy" but,
however that may be, he was a good,
kind Prince, and loved his people. Shaggy
was very rich. One day he counted his
castles, his elephants, his household goods
and his silver and gold, and found that
he had much more than he could ever use.
He thought over this good while, and
al last ordered those around him to lead
in the biggest elephant in his domain.
When the big elephant arrived Shaggy
Of Hindostan the weight of this elephant
in silver money! Just think of that
Why, an elephant weighs hundreds and
hundreds of pounds, and Shaggy was GO
ing 10 give away a pile of silver that
would weigh as much as the elephant
The people were in great glee. They
praised Shaggy day and night, until by
2Dd-bye some one said "Aha ha ha
his Great Whiteness, the Most High Sha-
zee il joking No scales in Hindostan
viii weigh an elephant" Kill the ele-
plant and cut him into little bits" sug-
gested another. But Shaggy, who had
almost repentcd Of his promise, anyhow,
wouldn't hear of that. The elephant
must be weighed alive or no silver would
be given Here was a bad fix. The
greatest scales in that day were not capa-
BE Of weighing more than two hundred
pounds They had no Fairbanks then.
What was TO be done? There stood the
elephant, and he wasn't much of baby
elephant either The little fellow at the
circus could have walked under Shaggy's
elephant easily. AS the people stood on the
r1Fer bank talking over the great difficulty
swise man came rowing along in his great
boat whats the matter ?" said the
wise man. Everybody told him at once,
but he at last managed to understand,
and when he did he laughed aloud.
why" said the wise man, bring the
elephant hither; I'll weigh him." A great
shout went mp from the people. Some
bOOted at the wise man. you'll weigh
him, indeed" said the hooters. go no |!
what . wonderful wise man I" They
laughed, bat the wise man said nothing.
The elephant was led to the river bank,
and, being q tame animal, was induced to
step into the wise mans boat. The boat
sunk away down until the edges were
nearly under water. Then the wise man
got IN 3 little boat, and, while the ele-
ph&nt kept very still, padded around
the big boat, marking a line on the boat
Just ~ the edge of the water. After an
exact line had been made the elephant
was put on shore and the wise man order
ed number Of big rocks to be put in the
boat As the rocks and stones were
thrown In the boat settled into the water,
until, bye-and-bye, the line before marked
again touched the water. Now" said
the wise man, the stones in this boat,
when all taken together, weigh exactly
what the elephant Weighs" That's
true" shouted the people, and the hooters
felt ashamed Of themselves Scales were
brought and every stone was weighed.
There were As stones altogether. Five of
them weighed just 200 pounds each, or
inst loo pounds taken together; seven
weighed lso pounds each, or $50 pounds
taken togsthsr ten weighed l75 pounds
each, or 1850 pounds; six weighed $50
pounds each, or 600 pounds; twelve
weighed I25 pounds each. or ], 500 pounda
Eight ether stenss had, different weights,
ssths Dl0xing table win show:
Pounds
Five 30 pound stones weighed, !. 900
heEe1 16o pound stones weighed 1880
Ten II po1nd stones weighed. s.. 1.7O0
SIX 80 pound stones weighed, ....... zoe
Twelve Is poup1 glonps Weighsd, :. 49,. 80
ADol1eE n1o1e weighed, ........... -. $50
An2.hEs.ene 49, .s,,i.. N llo
AsglA@ lo4s wei - = :. ~. s.. so
- - & i = - (.