judges commonly sat to administer the law which
the lord of the river bridge and the lordship had enacted, and which
was to this effect: 'If any one crosses by this bridge from one side
to the other, he shall declare on oath where he is going and with what
object; and if he swears truly, he shall be allowed to pass; but if
falsely, he shall be put to death for it by hanging on the gallows
erected there, without any remission.' Though the law and its severe
penalty were known, many persons crossed; but in their declarations it
was easy to see at once they were telling the truth, and the judges
let them pass free. It happened however that one man, when they came
to take his declaration, swore and said that by the oath he took, he
was going to die upon that gallows that stood there, and nothing else.
The judges held a consultation over the oath, and they said:--'If we
let this man pass free, he has sworn falsely, and by the law he ought
to die; but if we hang him, as he swore he was going to die on that
gallows, and therefore swore the truth, by the same law he ought to go
free.' It is asked of your lordship, senor governor, what are the
judges to do with this man? For they are still in doubt and
perplexity; and having heard of your worship's acute and exalted
intellect, they have sent me to entreat your worship on their behalf
to give your opinion on this very intricate and puzzling case."

To this Sancho made answer:--"Indeed, those gentlemen the judges that
send you to me might have spared themselves the trouble, for I have
more of the obtuse than the acute in me; however, repeat the case over
again so that I may understand it, and then perhaps I may be able to
hit the point."

The querist repeated again and again what he had said before, and then
Sancho said:--"It seems to me I can set the matter right in a moment,
and in this way: the man swears that he is going to die upon the
gallows; but if he dies upon it, he has sworn the truth, and by the
law enacted deserves to go free and pass over the bridge; but if they
don't hang him, then he has sworn falsely, and by the same law
deserves to be hanged."

"It is as the senor governor says," said the messenger; "and as
regards a complete comprehension of the case, there is nothing left to
desire or hesitate about."

"Well then, I say," said Sancho, "that of this man they should let
pass the part that has sworn truly, and hang the part that has lied;
and in this way the