She said: "One of you shall take
half the plums that are in this basket, and one over: another shall take
half of what remains, and one over: the third shall take half of what still
remains and three over, and then all the plums will have been taken. Now
tell me how many plums there are in the basket." Her favorite was the only
one who could guess the number of plums which was _thirty_. To him
therefore she gave her hand and the plums, and to the other suitors the
empty basket. Hence the phrase. The solution of the question is as follows:
A takes half of the plums in the basket (30) and one
over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 + 1 = 16
B half of what remained (14) and one over . . . . . 7 + 1 = 8
C half of what remained (6) and three over . . . . . 3 + 3 = 6
---
Total 30
Now with regard to the origin of the city of Prague. The former residence
was much too small, and Libussa directed her workmen to build a town on the
spot, where they should find at midday a man making the _best use of his
teeth_.
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