The wolf, the goat, and the cabbages
More than a thousand years ago, a man wrote a book of puzzles—the
kind of puzzles we call “brainteasers.” Here is one of the puzzles
from that book. See if you can solve it.
There was once a man who made his living by taking people and things
across a river. But his boat was so small he could take only one person
or thing at a time.
One day, the man was given three things to take across the river—a
wolf, a goat, and a big basket of cabbages. Because he could take only
one thing at a time, he would have to leave two things behind and come
back for them. And that meant trouble!
If he took the cabbages and left the wolf and goat behind, the wolf
would eat the goat! And if he took the wolf and left the goat with the
cabbages, the goat would eat the cabbages I
Of course, he could take the goat across first, and leave the cabbages
with the wolf, for the wolf would not eat them. But then what?
He would have to bring either the wolf or the cabbages across the river
on his second trip, and then something would be eaten while he went
back for the last thing.
The man was sure there had to be a way to get the three things across
the river, one at a time, without ever leaving the wolf and the goat, or
the goat and the cabbages, together. And, after a while, he had the
answer!
What do you think it was? He didn’t tie up the wolf so it couldn’t eat
the goat. He didn’t hang the sack of cabbages from a tree so the goat
couldn’t get them. He got the three things across the river one at a
time—without ever leaving the wolf and goat, or the goat and the
cabbages, together. See if you can figure out how he did it. If you
can’t, look on page 21 for the answer. But try to work out the puzzle
first.
