Spencer Heath Archive

Item 585

 

 

A tale is oft told of two farmers of old

Whose story so strangely begins —

Born on the same day, the same mother had they

Yet they were not brothers or twins.

But strangest of all, when death did befall

And left of the farmers but one,

The farmer still left was of brother bereft

But the brother departing left none.

Now this puzzle so double will give you no trouble

   If your own false assumptions you lay. —

You need but recall that I said not at all

   How many were born on that day.

And then of that other bereft of a brother

The thing that I sure never said

Not a word did I render of genius or gender

Concerning this farmer not dead.

 

/An earlier version contained just the single puzzle:/

ENIGMA

The fabled farmer in the dell

    A brother had who lived not well

   And so ere long it did befall

       He did no longer live at all.

Now this fine riddle you must tell,

   How it in solemn truth befell, —

This brother in his grave so sad

   Himself no brother ever had.

             ——

 

The answer you will easy find

If you but empty from your mind

The thing I never, never said

    About that farmer not yet dead.*

 

 

 

*That the farmer was a man.