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The Carpenter produced the carved wooden pillar that he is seen holding in
the illustration, wherein the knight is propounding his knotty problem to
the goodly company, and spoke as follows: "There dwelleth in the city of
London a certain scholar that is learned in astrology and other strange arts.
Some few days gone he did bring unto me a piece of wood that had three feet
in length, one foot in breadth and one foot in depth, and did desire that it
be carved and made into the pillar that you do now behold. Also did he
promise certain payment for every cubic inch of wood cut away by the carving
thereof.
"Now I did at first weigh the block, and found it truly to contain thirty
pounds, whereas the pillar doth now weigh but twenty pounds. Of a truth I
have therefore cut away one cubic foot (which is to say one-third) of the
three cubic feet of the block; but this scholar withal doth hold that
payment may not thus be fairly made by weight, since the heart of the block
may be heavier, or perchance may be more light, than the outside. How then
may I with ease satisfy the scholar as to the quantity of wood that hath
been cut away?" This at first sight looks a difficult question, but it is so
absurdly simple that the method employed by the carpenter should be known to
everybody to-day, for it is a very useful little "wrinkle." |