The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-03
wEIoaIN8 AN ELEPHANT.
The Way Wise Prince Solved a Di-
lemms-

lemms.
FROM H1rDer's Young People.
About 200 years ago there lived the Prince
Of MahrattGs, IN Hindostsn. whose name
was Shshjee. Princes are numerous in
India, but this particular prince was long
remembered on account Of bis benefceDce
and great wisdom. He seems to have been
the most learned prince Of the time, and
his advice and help were always sought in
critical matters. Many stories are told Of
his ingenious settlement Of difficulties, and
some Of them are certainly curious
Ouce very high official in the court Of
Prince Shahlee made VOW that If he sue
ceeded in a certain enterprise, he would dis
tribute 10 the poor Of his district 1.-THE
weight Of his own elephant in silver Ele-
plants were highly priced By these princes,
and each kept the largest and finest for his
own use The officials vow, if hasty, was
generous, and perhaps the success of his I'M
dertaking was worth the price.
The undertaking succeeded; but the
official, willing to keep his OATH was met by
ON unexpected difficulty. There was no
possible way Of finding the elephants cor
rect weight. No scales in the country were
constructed OF sufficient power to weigh
such enormous beasts. Elephants We're not
sold by the pound, and no need had before
arisen for scales to weigh them. All the
learned and clever men Of the court tried
in vain TO construct a machine of sufficient
power TO weigh the enormous beast. 1t did
seem probable that the poor of Hindostan
would have to get along without that silver.
10 Is possible that the official had thought Of
this objection when he made the VOW. In
dians are crafty, and this one might have
been cunning enough to leave himself a
loop-hole of escape to prevent parting with
his money.
But if any such notion had occurred to
him, he was doomed TO disappointment in
the matter. The question was referred to
ShahJee. as all such Vexsrious questions
were. And it did not take him long TO find
a very simple solution. That is always the
way with true genius, you know. The So
luton it finds 10 so simple that every one
cries out in wonder:
Why, of course! Why didn't somebody
speak OF that before"
Shshjee commanded the elephant to be
conducted along "a platform into fat
oottomed boat which lay by the water side.
When the animal was safely aboard, he de-
sired the attendants TO mark upon the boats
side tbs exact hight to which the water
reached when the elephant weighed it down.
Then the elephant was taken out and stones
substituted, until enough were loaded into
the boat to bring it to the same water line
as when the elephant IS the passenger.
Then the stones were weighed. If the
scales could not hold all at once, part could
be taken at time. you see, and so the ele-
plants weight was correctly oscerUaired.
1t is safe to conclude that tins poor OF Hin
dostan finally got the silver. A Prince so
wise must have also been just. Whether the
official who paid the money was quite salts
fed, history does not tell US, but we will
hope, for his charity's sake he was, and as
full-grown elephant weighs several tons,
the amount distributed among the poor of
the district must have been very large.