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Quite bemused, the poor fellow would lower the bucket once again, let the water gurgle into it and pull it out again, only to find it empty. This went on for some time and I thought it was rather a mean trick to play on the poor simpleton and was about to protest to my friend, particularly when I saw an attendant threaten the patient with a cane after the fourth or fifth attempt. But my friend gestured me to silence and then I saw a marvellous thing. Under the threat of the caning, the patient was forced to think, to concentrate on this strange phenomenon of an empty bucket. Suddenly his face lit up as he saw the holes in the bucket. I said to myself, thus must have Archimedes looked as he jumped out of the bath-tub shouting 'Eureka,' or Sir Isaac Newton as he felt the apple bounce on his venerable head. There were some rags left conveniently at hand near the well. Slowly the man picked them up and after a little more reflection and a little fumbling he stuffed them into the holes. The next time the bucket came up it was brimming with water and the man turned to his attendant and smiled, pleased as Punch and got a pat of approval.
Many years have passed since this incident, but it has often come to my mind when reflecting over
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