### 3

The villagers give a spontaneous cheer when they hear you answer the old man's riddle correctly.2

'Well done,' he says, 'you are right. If the brick counter-balances three-quarters of a brick plus three-quarters of a pound, then a quarter of a brick must weigh three-quarters of a pound. The whole brick must weigh four times as much as this, which is, of course, three pounds.'

The villagers are as good as their word. They stand aside and wish you safe passage as you leave Stia and continue your ride north.

Turn to 135.

[2] This is the correct answer to the riddle from Section 112.

Text copyright © 1987 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1987 Gary Chalk.