Majális, merriment .... Then with the twilight

The music fades, the song becomes quieter.

And when the full moon rises over the trees,

The troop returns home, the forest falls silent.

Only at the little kitchen hearth a song is heard,

As if they were filling a cask with wine:

It keeps flowing, gushing ... and as the breath passes,

The master speaks: "it will be exactly forty liters!"

"Twelve hours it takes ... to sip it away

As I please, in my own way."

Said one of the soldiers. "I'll bet my wages

$S$ on this, I'll drink it with ten!"

The other doubles down. "Eight is enough for me,

To see the bottom of the barrel clearly!"

Grumbled the third. "Well, just drink,

Said the master, you've served me well.

I'm tired, I'll sleep a bit,

Until the cart arrives. By then, you'll be drunk."

They started drinking ... drinking ... toasting,

Their dreams were torn by snoring, roaring.

They drank as much as each was used to,

But how much? ... They couldn't agree on that.

The last glass filled up just as

The carts arrived.

The master woke up, pondering for a long time,

How long had he slept ... they asked him too ...

"Well, if you drank as you bet:

I'll tell you bluntly, you don't need your watches."

He spoke, and in a moment the numbers were ready,

The soldiers stared in awe at the monstrous sight.

So who will be the master, who, calculating properly,

Will tell exactly how many hours have passed!?


Therefore,

If the landlord slept for $x$ hours, then the first servant drinks $x \cdot \frac{40}{12}$, the second $x \cdot \frac{40}{10}$, and the third $x \cdot \frac{40}{8}$ liters of wine,

$$
x\left(\frac{40}{12}+\frac{40}{10}+\frac{40}{8}\right)=40
$$

that is,

$$
x=3 \frac{9}{37} \text { hours. }
$$

(Aurél Engel, Pécs.)

Number of solutions: 25.