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<blockquote data-quote="BoldItalic" data-source="post: 6761502" data-attributes="member: 6777052">Two dwarves were arguing over a heap of coins that had spilled from a sack, and they didn't notice the elf creeping up on them.&quot;By Zog's Beard,&quot; said one, &quot;We should have equal numbers, fair and fair alike. Start counting.&quot;&quot;Not so fast, Halgrim,&quot; said the other, &quot;They aren't all the same size. We should weigh them out.&quot;&quot;Oh yes? And which weighs more - a pound of silver or a pound of gold? Answer me that, Balgrim, answer me that!&quot;Rylnethaz motioned to BoldItalic to come up quietly. &quot;They have found a way in, perhaps they know the way out?&quot; he whispered. BoldItalic was about to whisper a reply when he sneezed suddenly. The dwarves stopped arguing about silver and gold and started accusing each other of making sneezing noises.&quot;You trying to trick me, Balgrim? I don't fall for the noises-off trick that easily.&quot;&quot;You're the trickster, cousin Halgrim. You made that noise yourself!&quot;BoldItalic decided that waiting outside would accomplish nothing and walked purposefully forward. &quot;Your pardon, gentlemen, I regret that it was my sneeze. I am BoldItalic, and this is my friend Sir Rylnethaz.&quot;The two dwarves span round to confront the new arrivals. &quot;It's a trick!&quot; shouted Halgrim, &quot;There aren't any people down here!&quot;&quot;I assure you that we are indeed people,&quot; said BoldItalic smoothly, &quot;but as to being down here, well, that is something we might discuss. I would like to offer you a trade.&quot;&quot;What sort of trade? This money is ours, we found it fair and square.&quot;&quot;No we didn't!&quot;&quot;Yes we did!&quot;&quot;Gentlemen, gentlemen, we are not here for your money. But I can suggest how you might divide it fairly between you, and in return I would ask you a favour.&quot;&quot;What sort of favour?&quot;&quot;We desire to leave this place and return to the surface, but my friend here and I are debating over the quickest route. He thinks one way and I think another. I wonder, could you settle it for us?&quot;The two dwarves looked at each other. &quot;This human is stupid,&quot; said Balgrim. &quot;Yeah, stupid,&quot; agreed Halgrim. &quot;I said it first!&quot; &quot;No you didn't!&quot; &quot;Did!&quot; &quot;Didn't!&quot;BoldItalic interrupted their squabbling and said &quot;Shall we begin? Halgrim, you must divide the coins into two piles, however you wish, but as equally as you can. When you, yourself, are satisfied that the division is fair, Balgrim will choose one or the other for his own and you take the remaining one.&quot;&quot;But he will take the bigest pile!&quot; objected Halgrim.&quot;You must ensure that neither pile is bigger than the other, so it matters not to you, which he chooses.&quot;&quot;Nah, he'll just divide it into two small equal piles, I know him,&quot; protested Balgrim.&quot;It must be two equal equal piles of coins.&quot;&quot;Completely equal? No cheating?&quot;&quot;Indeed.&quot;The penny dropped. Or at least, the gold piece dropped. &quot;He's right. You can't cheat.&quot; &quot;But I want to cheat!&quot; &quot;And I want to cheat first!&quot; &quot;Okay, but I get the sack!&quot; &quot;No you don't!&quot; &quot;Yes I do!&quot;This could have gone on for some time, had not BoldItalic interrupted again. &quot;Do we have a bargain, gentlemen?&quot;Halgrim glared at him and, as if in answer, unrolled a huge map that showed a maze of tunnels and stairways. He traced a route with his thumb. &quot;That's the shortest way. There you are, now push off.&quot;Balgrim objected. &quot;Nah, that's not the quickest way. You want to go that way,&quot; and indicated a different route.BoldItalic nodded to Rylnethaz and they both memorised the routes, as best they could. &quot;Well, thank you for your assistance, gentlemen, we must be going. Pressing matters to attend to, you know how it is.&quot;The dwarves turned their attention back to their heap of coins and the two friends crept away. They came to a fork in the tunnel. &quot;I think it's this way,&quot; said BoldItalic. &quot;No it isn't!&quot; &quot;Yes it is!&quot; &quot;Why are we arguing? What's wrong with this place?&quot; &quot;It's those dwarves. We've caught something from them.&quot; &quot;You're right.&quot; &quot;No, I'm not, you're right!&quot;They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Rylnethaz showed a coin that looked remarkably like one of the dwarves' and span it in the air. &quot;Heads!&quot; called BoldItalic. &quot;Heads it is. We'll go that way,&quot; said Rylnethaz.After a while, they felt that they were getting higher towards the surface. &quot;Was that one of the dwarves' coins?&quot; wondered BoldItalic. &quot;Yes. You see,&quot; explained Rylnethaz, &quot;they had 12,347 coins and that would never divide equally, so I took one away. Now they can have 6,173 each with none left over and they will never miss this one.&quot;BoldItalic laughed.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="BoldItalic, post: 6761502, member: 6777052"] Two dwarves were arguing over a heap of coins that had spilled from a sack, and they didn't notice the elf creeping up on them. "By Zog's Beard," said one, "We should have equal numbers, fair and fair alike. Start counting." "Not so fast, Halgrim," said the other, "They aren't all the same size. We should weigh them out." "Oh yes? And which weighs more - a pound of silver or a pound of gold? Answer me that, Balgrim, answer me that!" Rylnethaz motioned to BoldItalic to come up quietly. "They have found a way in, perhaps they know the way out?" he whispered. BoldItalic was about to whisper a reply when he sneezed suddenly. The dwarves stopped arguing about silver and gold and started accusing each other of making sneezing noises. "You trying to trick me, Balgrim? I don't fall for the noises-off trick that easily." "You're the trickster, cousin Halgrim. You made that noise yourself!" BoldItalic decided that waiting outside would accomplish nothing and walked purposefully forward. "Your pardon, gentlemen, I regret that it was my sneeze. I am BoldItalic, and this is my friend Sir Rylnethaz." The two dwarves span round to confront the new arrivals. "It's a trick!" shouted Halgrim, "There aren't any people down here!" "I assure you that we are indeed people," said BoldItalic smoothly, "but as to being down here, well, that is something we might discuss. I would like to offer you a trade." "What sort of trade? This money is ours, we found it fair and square." "No we didn't!" "Yes we did!" "Gentlemen, gentlemen, we are not here for your money. But I can suggest how you might divide it fairly between you, and in return I would ask you a favour." "What sort of favour?" "We desire to leave this place and return to the surface, but my friend here and I are debating over the quickest route. He thinks one way and I think another. I wonder, could you settle it for us?" The two dwarves looked at each other. "This human is stupid," said Balgrim. "Yeah, stupid," agreed Halgrim. "I said it first!" "No you didn't!" "Did!" "Didn't!" BoldItalic interrupted their squabbling and said "Shall we begin? Halgrim, you must divide the coins into two piles, however you wish, but as equally as you can. When you, yourself, are satisfied that the division is fair, Balgrim will choose one or the other for his own and you take the remaining one." "But he will take the bigest pile!" objected Halgrim. "You must ensure that neither pile is bigger than the other, so it matters not to you, which he chooses." "Nah, he'll just divide it into two [i]small[/i] equal piles, I know him," protested Balgrim. "It must be two equal equal piles of coins." "Completely equal? No cheating?" "Indeed." The penny dropped. Or at least, the gold piece dropped. "He's right. You can't cheat." "But I want to cheat!" "And I want to cheat first!" "Okay, but I get the sack!" "No you don't!" "Yes I do!" This could have gone on for some time, had not BoldItalic interrupted again. "Do we have a bargain, gentlemen?" Halgrim glared at him and, as if in answer, unrolled a huge map that showed a maze of tunnels and stairways. He traced a route with his thumb. "That's the shortest way. There you are, now push off." Balgrim objected. "Nah, that's not the quickest way. You want to go that way," and indicated a different route. BoldItalic nodded to Rylnethaz and they both memorised the routes, as best they could. "Well, thank you for your assistance, gentlemen, we must be going. Pressing matters to attend to, you know how it is." The dwarves turned their attention back to their heap of coins and the two friends crept away. They came to a fork in the tunnel. "I think it's this way," said BoldItalic. "No it isn't!" "Yes it is!" "Why are we arguing? What's wrong with this place?" "It's those dwarves. We've caught something from them." "You're right." "No, I'm not, you're right!" They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Rylnethaz showed a coin that looked remarkably like one of the dwarves' and span it in the air. "Heads!" called BoldItalic. "Heads it is. We'll go that way," said Rylnethaz. After a while, they felt that they were getting higher towards the surface. "Was that one of the dwarves' coins?" wondered BoldItalic. "Yes. You see," explained Rylnethaz, "they had 12,347 coins and that would never divide equally, so I took one away. Now they can have 6,173 each with none left over and they will never miss this one." BoldItalic laughed. [/QUOTE]

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