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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 69

A Fair Game

A Fair Game.

I have said that the Somali men were very active and fond of games. They had a system of gambling which deserves notice. A number of them would squat round in a circle on the ground, and each would put down a coin in front of him, and then they'd gaze, sometimes for many minutes, as mute as possible. Then suddenly one would scoop the pool. I was curious one day to ask why it was grabbed up by one, and it was explained that whoever owned the coin on which a fly would first alight was the winner. For fairness I think it would be hard to beat that game, for it would be difficult to have a trained fly of one's own which could distinguish its owner's coin. We have heard lately of trained fleas; but I have not heard yet of trained flies.