If he is innocent, and is really
ignorant which dish is poisoned, he will not touch any of them, until
driven to desperation by hunger. Then he will seize on one or more,
and devour them to the end, running the chance of death by poison,
rather than endure the pangs of hunger longer."
"Your plan is a wise one," the rajah said. "It shall be tried. Let the
dishes be taken to him, every morning, and removed every evening. Each
evening they shall be weighed."
These orders were carried out, and on the following morning the dishes
were placed in the cell of the prisoner. When removed at night, they
were found to be untouched. The next evening several of the dishes
were found to have lost some ounces in weight. The third evening all
but one had been tasted.
"Let the prisoner be brought in again," the rajah ordered, when
informed of this.
"Dog," he said, "you have betrayed yourself. Had you been innocent,
you could not have known in which of the dishes the poison had been
placed. You have eaten of all but one. If that one contains poison,
you are guilty."
Then, turning to an attendant, he ordered him to take a portion of the
untouched food, and to throw it to a dog.
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