This is one of the first riddles I was able to remember consistently and I got it from my Dad. A man looks at a portrait and says, "Brothers and sisters, I have none. But that man's father is my father's son." What is the relationship of the man in the portrait to the speaker?
Solution:
The official solution is that the man in the portrait is the son of the speaker. However, an anonymous commenter pointed out that the man in the portrait could be the son of a deceased brother of the speaker, making him the speaker's nephew. This depends on interpreting "Brothers and sisters I have none" as leaving open the possibility that the speaker once did have a brother.
That man is my son!
ReplyDeleteOr it's the nephew of a deceased brother... It doesn't say "Brothers and sisters, I have never had." But that could be cause it would ruin the rhyme.
ReplyDelete"Brothers and sisters I have never had. But that man's father is the son of my dad!"
That's good
ReplyDeleteAnonymous has a good point about the deceased brother, but it would be his son, my nephew, not his nephew. And I like his revision to keep it rhyming.
ReplyDeleteI was given this riddle in the 6th grade, I'm just now getting it and I'm 30
ReplyDeletethat is obviously Benjamin Franklin Dur. ;)
ReplyDelete"But that man's father is my father's son.". why cannot it be a oertrait of himself he is looking at?
ReplyDeleteCuriously, the solution that he is looking at himself is the solution often given for this riddle. It is, however, not accurate at all. It can't be himself.
ReplyDeleteAs in a maze, sometimes it is easier to work backwards, therefore:
ReplyDeleteMy fathers son = me (I have no brothers or sisters) and I am the father of “this man.” This man is my son.
The best way to solve a riddle is not to read too much into it (eg possibility of deceased siblings)as there really is one answer. I do like the revised version re "Brothers and sisters I never had" - it works well :) The beauty of the riddle is in the writing.
I have no brother or sister, that mans father is my fathers son, who am i: I have no bro or sis but that man father is my father son meaning its my son.my father is the grandfather while im the father
ReplyDeletethe key to this is that the person speaking is looking at a portrait or picture....imagine him looking into a mirror! Who would the speaker then be?
ReplyDeleteIt's the person himself thats saying the riddle. In otherwords it would be me if I was the one saying the riddle.
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ReplyDeleteBrothers and sisters I have none, BUT this man's father is my father's son.
ReplyDeleteI think the emphasis should be on the word "but"... it shows a tempering the absolute, "...I have none."
Might it be a step brother to the speaker?
Just a thought after 2 cups of morning coffee