During a quiet train journey, a professor found himself seated across from a farmer who seemed perfectly content watching the scenery pass by. Looking for entertainment, the professor suggested a simple game: they would take turns asking each other questions. If the farmer couldn’t answer, he would pay five dollars—but if the professor ever came up empty-handed, he would owe five hundred. After a brief pause, the farmer agreed without much fuss.
The professor went first, asking a factual question about the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Without saying a word, the farmer calmly reached into his pocket, handed over five dollars, and waited. Sensing an easy victory, the professor smiled, confident the game would favor him.
Then it was the farmer’s turn. He asked a puzzling question: what kind of animal walks on three legs while going up a mountain and four legs while coming down? The professor sat back, thinking carefully and running through every possibility he knew. Minutes passed, but no answer came to mind. Eventually, he sighed, accepted defeat, and handed the farmer five hundred dollars.
The farmer quietly tucked the money away and leaned back to rest. Still curious, the professor finally asked what the correct answer was. The farmer didn’t explain—he simply handed over five dollars, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t knowing all the answers, but knowing when to stay relaxed and let curiosity do the work.