The Will and the Witty Son
There was a large ancestral house where only the master, his son, and a steward (manager) lived.
When the son was 16 years old, the master fell seriously ill.
He decided to divide his property and land equally, giving half to his son and half to the steward.
He wrote the will so that his son would receive his half of the property upon turning 18. The will read:
"The steward can give the half of the land that he likes to my son. The remaining half he can keep for himself."
The father died. The son turned 18. However, the half of the land he received was stony, full of pits, and unsuitable for farming.
Seeing the son's distress, a stranger inquired about the matter and was shown the will. The stranger then took the son and the will to court.
The court immediately ruled that the steward must hand over the good land he had taken to the son.
Question: How was this possible?
Answer: The will stated that the steward must give his son the half of the land that he likes! Since the steward had taken the good land for himself (the land he liked), he was obligated by the will to give that exact, good portion to the son!
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