There was once an old woman in a village. She was very clever. All the children in the village often went to ask her questions. She often gave them the right. 。
One day, Tom, a naughty (顽皮的) boy in the village, caught a little bird. He gathered all his friends around him. He said, "Let's play a joke on the old woman. I'll ask her what I have in my hands. Of course, she'll answer that I have a bird. Then I'll ask her whether the bird is alive (活着的) or not. If she says the bird is dead, I'll open my hands and let the bird fly 。 If she says the bird is alive, I'll quickly kill it and showthe dead bird. Either way, she'll be wrong. "
The children agreed that this was a clever plan. So they went to the old woman's house.
"Granny, we have a question for you," they all shouted.
"What's in my hands?" asked the little boy.
"Well, it must be a bird," relied the old woman.
"But is it alive dead?" asked the excited boy.
The old woman for a moment and then relied, "It is up to you, my child."
