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February 25, 2011

Chinese Proverb 55

A Mathematician beat the Emperor in checkers.

The Emperor said, “Name your prize.”


The Mathematician placed a grain of rice on their checkerboard.
“For each square, double this rice.”


The Emperor agreed.


The Mathematician laughed,
“There is not that much rice in all of China!”


The Emperor had the Mathematician executed.


Moral:
Might makes right!

21 comments:

  1. MarianFebruary 25, 2011 at 8:04 AM

    heartwarming.

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  2. Brian MillerFebruary 25, 2011 at 8:17 AM

    ha. & dont rub it in when you beat the king...lol

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  3. MorningAJFebruary 25, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Hm. Not quite as clever as he thought. (Unless he was planning to drown the emperor in rice and take control!)

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  4. Kathe W.February 25, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    yeah- don't gloat when you are winning!

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  5. anthonynorthFebruary 25, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    That emperor is far better at subtraction than multiplication ;-)
    Enjoyed that.

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  6. G-ManFebruary 25, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    Two inflated egos in the same room?
    He should have done the math!
    Excellent 55 Bubba.
    Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

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  7. TALONFebruary 25, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    lol! Loved your 55, Eric!

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  8. Sharon DayFebruary 25, 2011 at 11:23 AM

    I knew there was a reason I never majored in math.

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  9. hedgewitchFebruary 25, 2011 at 11:53 AM

    Moral #2: Nobody likes a smarty pants. Quite the funny 55.

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  10. OliviaFebruary 25, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    Ouchh.. Just eat the cake and walk away- no point wanting to have it and even take some..

    Good One Eric.. :)
    I landed onto your other blog at WP.. will bookmark both Love xx

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  11. Maude LynnFebruary 25, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    It seems that the mathematician miscalculated!

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  12. AkelamaluFebruary 25, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    That's the second time this week I've heard the checkerboard and grain of rice thing. Mmmmmm.

    Nice 55.

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  13. MargaretFebruary 25, 2011 at 2:02 PM

    Ah yes, be careful who you mess with! Might does not always mean brains, I mean, look at our politicians...

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  14. Alice AudreyFebruary 25, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    Second meaning - don't lose your head over a mathematical joke.

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  15. joannaFebruary 25, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Ouch.. clever Chinese wisdom - the mathematician needed Octavian's cunning mind.

    Great 55,

    joanny

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  16. Monkey ManFebruary 25, 2011 at 6:14 PM

    Carry the two multiply by the frequency of the blinking eyes of a severed head....

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  17. Jannie FunsterFebruary 25, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    I hate those rice math executions. We had one last week over Uncle Ben's long division. Not a pretty sight. Or sound.

    xo

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  18. MeFebruary 26, 2011 at 7:16 AM

    Ha! Just goes to show, even in ancient times, there are "book smarts" and "street smarts". And it doesn't matter how much of the first you have if you have none of the second. :)

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  19. Lisa Ricard ClaroFebruary 26, 2011 at 9:11 AM

    See, this is why I avoid math at all costs. LOL I knew there was a valid reason.

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  20. SandyCarlsonFebruary 27, 2011 at 7:24 AM

    True enough. Just ask the governor of Wisconsin.

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  21. KavitaFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:06 PM

    ouch!! Apparently, intelligence and wit aren't everything in tis world... sometimes it gets me to think what a scary place it is.. this world, i mean!
    Your 55 has gotten me thinking again, Eric!! Ohhh.. but I should be going to the gym instead!! :)

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