A farmer owned seventeen horses. He willed the horses to his three children.
The first born was willed 1/2 of the horses, the youngest 1/9th, and the middle child 1/3rd of the horses.
When the father died the children were unable to divide up the herd according to the will and so called an old family friend to help them.
The friend arrived the next day with his own horse and added it to the total. He then divided up the 18 horses as decreed in his old friend’s will: 9 to the first born, 2 to the youngest, and 6 to the middle child. The children thanked their friend and he departed with his horse.