There once was a
farmer who, as part of his route to town, used a rickety old boat to cross a
wide river. He took his dog and went to town one day to buy corn. However, not
only did he buy some corn, but he also bought a goose that he intended to take
home and use to start raising geese. (The farmer was no fool, he already had
another goose.) He also knew, however, that his boat was not reliable. It could
only handle himself (to row) and one of the other three things he had with him.
He feared that if left alone, the dog the corn. How could he get himself and
everything else across the river?
Leave the goose on the bank and then the man takes the corn with him. He allows the dog to cross the river by swimming across the lake. He then leaves the corn with the dog and goes to fetch the goose.
