English Original
Once, a neighbor stole one of Washington's horses. Washington went with a policeman to get the horse back, but the neighbor refused, claiming it was his own.
Suddenly, Washington had an idea. He covered both of the horse's eyes with his hands and said to the neighbor, "If this is your horse, you must tell us which of its eyes is blind."
"The left eye," said the neighbor. Washington removed his hand from the horse's left eye and showed the policeman that it was not blind.
"Oh, I made a mistake," said the neighbor. "It is blind in the right eye." Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the right eye, either.
"I have made another mistake," said the neighbor.
"Yes," said the policeman, "and you have also proved that the horse is not yours. You must return it to Mr. Washington."
中文翻译
一次，一个邻居偷了华盛顿的一匹马。华盛顿带着一名警察去要回这匹马，但邻居拒绝归还，坚称马是他的。
华盛顿突然灵机一动。他用双手捂住马的双眼，对邻居说：“如果这匹马是你的，你必须告诉我们它的哪只眼睛是瞎的。”
“左眼，”邻居说。华盛顿将手从马的左眼移开，向警察展示它的左眼并没有瞎。
“哦，我说错了，”邻居说。“是右眼瞎了。”华盛顿接着展示马的右眼同样也没有瞎。
“我又说错了。”邻居说。
“是的，”警察说，“你也证明了这匹马不是你的。你必须把它归还给华盛顿先生。”