How to become a scientist

by Aaron A. Warford

The Three Jealous Husbands.

Three jealous husbands, A, B and C, with their wives being ready to pass by night over a river, find at the water-side a boat which can carry but two at a time, and for want of a waterman they are compelled to row themselves over the river at several times. The question is, how those six persons shall pass, two at a time, so that none of the three wives may be found in the company of one or two men, unless her husband be present?

This may be effected in two or three ways; the following may be as good as any: Let A and wife go over—let A return—let B’s and C’s wives go over—A’s wife returns—B and C go over—B and wife return, A and B go over—C’s wife returns, and A’s and B’s wives go over—then C comes back for his wife. Simple as this question may appear, it is found in the works of Alcuin, who flourished a thousand years ago, hundreds of years before the art of printing was invented.