The Blind Old Man
A foolish youth inherits a great fortune, and sails away to distant lands, where he is tricked by three rogues. The first rogue convinces him that the aloe wood (or sandalwood) he has purchased is actually worthless by burning a bit of it in the privy; he offers to replace the youth's stock of it with anything he desires. The second rogue beats the youth at dice, after wagering that the loser will drink all the waters in the sea. The third rogue, one-eyed, claimed that the youth (whose eyes looked like the rogue's) had stolen his eye, and must stand trial. The youth, tricked at every turn, despairs, but an old woman tells him where to find the wise blind man who counsels all the rogues in the city. The youth sneaks near to the blind man, and overhears the first rogue tell his story. The old man says his promise was foolish - what if the youth asks for his cart to be filled with fleas, half male and half female? The rogue protests that the young man won't be shrewd enough to say this. The second rogue tells his story, and the old man tells him that he, too, has done badly - what if the youth says, dam up all the rivers that flow into the sea and then I'll drink it. The seond rogue also protests that the youth will not be that clever. The third rogue tells his story, and the old man cautions him - what if the youth says, take out your eye, I'll take out mine, we'll weigh them to see if they are equal? The youth sneaks away, and does exactly as the wise blind man had said, offering each of the rogues an impossible challenge, which they are of course unable to meet, and so he keeps his wealth, health, and freedom.
| Note
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See Nishimura for an extensive list of analoguous stories with impossible conditions in response to trickery.
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| Senex Caecus appears in the following versions and secondary versions
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| Senex Caecus is narrated in the following occurrences
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| Senex Caecus appears in the following manuscripts
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