Thursday, June 2, 2022

I Am Not A Potato

Final riddle, says Graceful. You, second Tartus.

The name's Shorty, says Shorty-Tartus.

Shorty-Tartus, sorry, says Graceful. Start your riddle.

Shorty-Tartus is rattled.

Why does he have to go last? 

It didn't help last time.

And how rude is Graceful, forgetting his name?

He decides to make his riddle super-tricky.

Serve them all right if no one can answer. 

Who am I? asks Shorty-Tartus.

We know who you are, says Graceful. What is your riddle?

It's Who am I? says Shorty-Tartus.

A rather open-ended riddle, says Gaius. 

Give us one clue, says Katherine.

Can you fly? asks Terence.

No, says Shorty-Tartus.

Now we're getting somewhere, says Wittgenstein. That rules out all aviation.

It's still hard, says Letitia.

I know, says Shorty-Tartus. 

Do YOU know the answer? asks Roo-kai.

Yes, he does, says Quiet-Tartus.

Let him answer, says Gaius.

He doesn't have to, says Quiet-Tartus. He only takes guesses.

Shorty-Tartus looks grateful.

Quiet-Tartus nods briefly, sensing a victory for the Tarti.

Are you a frog? asks Terence.

We've been through that already, says Quiet-Tartus.

Not with him, says Terence.

I'm not a frog, says Shorty-Tartus.

Can you eat? asks Terence.

Good question! says Roo-kai.

No, says Shorty-Tartus. 

Are you a rock? asks Terence.

No, says Shorty-Tartus.

One of the ninjas jumps in.

Can you be killed?

Shorty-Tartus is stumped for a moment.

Not killed exactly. Squashed maybe.

Then you are piece of fruit, says the ninja.

Close, says Shorty-Tartus.

A vegetable, says the other ninja. 

Less close, says Shorty-Tartus.

Another piece of fruit! says Terence.

Very close, says Shorty-Tartus.

Terence tries to think of a piece of fruit that is very close to another piece of fruit.

It's not easy.

Are you a grape?

No. Do you give up? asks Shorty-Tartus.

One more clue, begs Terence.

I can be peeled but I'm not a potato, says Shorty-Tartus.

We already know you're not a potato, says Wittgenstein. Why bring that in?

Because that's the real riddle, says Shorty-Tartus. I just wanted to make it much harder.

Well, he did a great job.

At last we all know what he is.

A banana!


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