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9 Rooms - A Paradoxical Poem
Ten weary, footsore travellers,
All in a woeful plight,
Sought shelter at a wayside inn
One dark and stormy night.
'Nine rooms, no more,' the landlord said
'Have I to offer you.
To each of eight a single bed,
But the ninth must serve for two.'
A din arose. The troubled host
Could only scratch his head,
For of those tired men not two
Would occupy one bed.
The puzzled host was soon at ease -
He was a clever man -
And so to please his guests devised
This most ingenious plan.
In a room marked A two men were placed,
The third was lodged in B,
The fourth to C was then assigned,
The fifth retired to D.
In E the sixth he tucked away,
In F the seventh man.
The eighth and ninth in G and H,
And then to A he ran,
Wherein the host, as I have said,
Had laid two travellers by;
Then taking one - the tenth and last -
He logged him safe in I.
Nine single rooms - a room for each -
Were made to serve for ten;
And this it is that puzzles me
And many wiser men.
(If we reflect on what he's done,
We'll see we're not insane.
Two men in A he's counted one,
Not once but once again...)
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Court Ode So Puzzling...
A minor craved to learn the law
From an attorney grand.
"Two dozen silvers is the cost,"
Announced the solemn man.
"No assets have I got, my lord,"
The minor said, "But, see -
The maiden trial I shall win,
The profit'd go to thee."
The man consented without gripes,
And trained him for no fee;
And after teaching him for years,
The student was set free.
But after months, the lawyer heard
The novice took no case!
The vexed adult then went ahead
And sued him for disgrace.
The trial opened, both men spoke
With manner suave yet mild;
Then, as the sentence ran too long,
The two guys sat and smiled.
"Oh, what a cheer, then! Safe and done,"
The old one bore a grin,
"For if I win, he lost the case -
And if I lose, I'd win!"
"Thank God! Hurrah! Pure victory!",
The young defendant mused,
"If I shall lose, he can't be paid;
Were I to win - he'd lose!"
How can it be? No one shall lose,
As both, it seems, are right!
So tell me, can you fix this state
And solve this eerie fight?
(Don't hang around and nag me, please,
As now I have to doze.
Who won, who lost? The answer is
A simple one: Who knows?...)
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