Thursday, January 3, 2013

Riddle Me This...

At the beginning of class everyday my fourth grade teacher, Mr. Harris, would read a brain teaser to the class. If someone could correctly answer the riddle, they would win a small candy treat. I loved hearing the brain teasers and trying to figure them out, unfortunately I sucked. There is one I always remembered, though, maybe because it's the only one I ever got right (well kinda got right, I really did suck) or maybe it's because it would end up having a deeper meaning to me later in life. Either way this was the riddle...

A farmer has a sack of grain, a chicken and a fox. He has to get them across the river and he can't go around or fly, but he does have a boat. He can only take one thing at a time across the river. The fox can't be left alone with the chicken or the chicken will get eaten. The chicken can't be left alone with the sack of grain or he will eat it. How can the farmer get them across?

This is the answer...

Take the chicken over and leave the fox and the grain. Go get the fox, drop it off and pickup the chicken. Take the chicken back across, pickup the grain and leave the chicken. Drop the grain off with the fox and go back and get the chicken. Viola, now all of them are safely across the river.

Being the sweet little (well actually I was the tallest kid in class so "little") nine year old that I was, I thought Mr. Harris was simply providing us with an activity that would simultaneously entertain and stimulate our constantly developing minds, plus I really wanted to win that candy! Little did I know he was also setting me up with the skills I would one day need to overcome one of a moms greatest challenges. Riddle me this...

A mom has a trunk full of groceries, a sleeping one year old and a crying two year old. She has to get them up the stairs and into the apartment. She can't fly or carrying everything at once but she does have two arms and two legs. She can only take one child and a couple bags at a time up the stairs. The two year old can't be left with the one year old because he'll wake him up. The one year old can't be left in the car because it's freakin freezing out. The groceries can't all be carried up at once because the mom was shopping for a family that eats a ridiculous amount of food each week. How can the mom get them inside?

This is the answer...

ummmmmmm... I told you guys already, I suck at brain teasers! Thanks anyways Mr. Harris, it was a valiant effort. I'll just give us all a piece of candy once we somehow manage get inside (ok, ok I'll probably give myself more than one piece, don't judge me!)

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