THE CANTERBURY PUZZLES
day. Listen, then, to that which I shall put forth. Let these
sixteen tiles be so placed that no tile shall be in line with another of
the same design" (he meant, of course, not in line horizontally,
vertically or diagonally)"and in such manner that as few plain tiles
as possible be required." When the monks handed in their plans it
was found that only Friar Andrew had hit upon the correct answer,
even Friar Richard himself being wrong. All had used too many
plain tiles.
44.
The Riddle of the Sack Wine,
One evening, when seated at table, Brother Benjamin was called
upon by the Abbot to give the riddle that was that day demanded
of him.
" Forsooth," said he, "I am no good at the making of riddles as
thou knowest full well; but I have been teasing my poor brain over a
matter that I trust some among you will expound to me, for I cannot
rede it myself. It is this. Mark me take a glass of sack from this
bottle that contains a pint of wine and pour it into that jug which
contains a pint of water. Now, I fill the glass with the mixture from
the jug and pour it back into the bottle holding the sack. Pray tell
me, have I taken more wine from the bottle than water from the
jug ? Or have I taken more water from the jug than wine from the
bottle?"
I gather that the monks got nearer to a great quarrel over this
little poser than had ever happened before. One brother so far
forgot himself as to tell his neighbour that " more wine had got into
his pate than wit came out of it," while another noisily insisted that
it all depended on the shape of the glass and the age of the wine.
But the Lord Abbot intervened, showed them what a simple
question it really was, and restored good feeling all round.
45.The Riddle of the Cellarer.
Then Abbot David looked grave and said that this incident
brought to his mind the painful fact that John the Cellarer had
been caught robbing the cask of best Malvoisie that was reserved
for special occasions. He ordered him to be brought in.
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