usage of the past tense

[giddyman]

A rich man claimed that a poor man owed him $250. The poor man refused to pay him. So the rich man decided to sue the poor man. He asked a young lawyer named Lincoln to take on the case. The lawyer wondered whether he should take on the case or not. He thought very deeply. Then he said that he would take on the case if the rich man gave him $1,000 as his fee. The rich man gave him the money. Lincoln went to see the poor man. He said, “If you give the money to the rich man, I will give you $500, double the amount you gave the rich man.” The poor man naturally gave the rich man $250. Everyone was happy.

In the above passage, is "gave" correct? I don't think it's right because the poor man didn't give the money yet at the time the lawyer is talking to the man. So, I think it should be "give". Am I right? Please help. Thank you.

source: an English study book published in South Korea (ISBN)978-89-94283-24-1

 

[emsr2d2]

I could make an argument for both of them. My first choice would be "give", because at the time of speaking the giving is still in the future. However, at the time in the future when the lawyer gives the poor man $500, the giving we are talking about will be in the past. (The lawyer won't give the poor man $500 until after the poor man has given the rich man $250.)

Note: I see you've given an ISBN for the source. That's not enough. We shouldn't have to go and look it up. Please provide the title of the book and the name(s) of the author(s), and/or the publisher.

 

[jutfrank]

For me, it should be give all day long, in accordance with the other tenses in the conditional sentence, and with the reference to future time.