The 17 Camels and 3 Sons: A Story of Wisdom and Creative Problem-Solving

Long ago, in a quiet, windswept village nestled at the edge of a vast desert, lived an old man known far and wide for his honesty, wisdom, and hard work. He was a camel trader, owning 17 camels which were his most valuable possession. These camels were not only his livelihood but also a symbol of his years of labor and dedication. The old man used to rent them out to traders and travelers who needed transport across the desert. Over the years, he earned enough to support his family and live a content life with his three sons.

As time passed, the old man grew weak and sickly. He knew his days were numbered, so he decided to prepare a will to distribute his assets among his three sons. He believed in fairness, and while he divided most of his possessions equally, he made a special arrangement for the camels, which he considered sacred and significant.

In his will, he wrote that:

The eldest son should receive half (1/2) of the camels.

The middle son should receive one-third (1/3) of the camels.

The youngest son should receive one-ninth (1/9) of the camels.


Soon after, the old man passed away. His sons, filled with grief, performed all the funeral rites with due respect. After a few days, they gathered to divide their inheritance. Everything went smoothly until they came to the camels. They opened the will and were stunned by what they read.

“How can we divide 17 camels like this?” the eldest asked.

“If I take half, that would be 8.5 camels — but we can’t cut a camel in half,” he added, perplexed.

The second son frowned, “One-third of 17 is 5.666… again, that doesn’t work.”

“And one-ninth is 1.888… we’ll end up with broken camels and a bigger problem,” the youngest sighed.

The three brothers argued for hours. They calculated again and again but came to the same impossible conclusion. No matter how they tried, 17 could not be divided into halves, thirds, or ninths without splitting the camels, which was unthinkable.

Several days passed. Frustrated and confused, they decided to seek help. They went to a wise man known for his deep knowledge and sound judgment.

After hearing the problem, the wise man smiled gently and said, “This is not as complicated as it seems. Sometimes, solutions lie just outside our way of thinking. Bring all the camels to me.”

Curious but obedient, the brothers brought all 17 camels to the wise man’s home. After a moment of thought, the wise man walked into his own yard and brought out one of his own camels, adding it to the herd. Now, the total number of camels was 18.

“Now, let us follow your father’s will,” he said calmly.

The eldest son was to get half of the camels:
18 ÷ 2 = 9 camels

The middle son was to get one-third:
18 ÷ 3 = 6 camels

The youngest son was to get one-ninth:
18 ÷ 9 = 2 camels


Together, the sons received:
9 + 6 + 2 = 17 camels

The wise man then smiled and took back his own camel, the one he had temporarily added.

The brothers were amazed. Not only had the problem been solved without harming a single camel, but the division had also perfectly matched their father’s wishes. They thanked the wise man deeply and returned home with respect for both their father’s wisdom and the wise man’s clever solution.


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🌟 Moral of the Story

This timeless tale teaches us more than just arithmetic. It’s a lesson in wisdom, creativity, and peaceful conflict resolution. Sometimes in life, we face problems that seem impossible to solve. We get caught in technicalities, numbers, or egos and forget to look for alternative approaches.

The wise man didn’t change the rules or bend the will. He simply added perspective — represented by the 18th camel. Once the problem was viewed differently, the solution became obvious.

It reminds us:

Every problem has a solution — if we’re willing to think differently.

Sometimes, to solve conflict, we must be willing to give something temporarily.

True wisdom lies not in knowing all the answers, but in knowing how to find them peacefully.



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✅ Use in Modern Life

This story applies to family disputes, business disagreements, and even international conflicts. It encourages negotiation, mediation, and thinking beyond rigid boundaries. The “18th camel” can be a metaphor for compromise, external help, or creative thinking.

Whenever you're stuck, ask yourself — what’s the “18th camel” I need to introduce to move forward?