As they sat on the corral fence, arguing about who was to get what, a neighbor came riding up. Aftering hearing what was going on, he told them that their father was his best friend of 40 years and he didn't want to see the family broke up over something like this. So, he took the saddle off his horse and put it in the corral with the rest of the herd.
Now there are 18 horses and the sons begin dividing up the herd. The eldest son got 9 horses, the second son got 6 horses and the youngest son got 2 horses. So, 9 + 6 + 2 = 17, and with that the neighbor puts his saddle back on his horse and rides off.
