The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WHO OWNS THE ZEBRA?

1. THERE ARE FIVE HOUSES.
2. THE ENGLISHMAN LIVES IN THE RED HOUSE.
3. THE SPANIARD OWNS THE DOG.
4. COFFEE IS DRUNK IN THE GREEN HOUSE.
5. THE UKRAINIAN DRINKS TEA.
6. THE GREEN HOUSE IS IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT
OF THE IVORY HOUSE.
7. THE OLD GOLD SMOKER OWNS SNAILS.
8. KOOLS ARE SMOKED IN THE YELLOW HOUSE.
9. MILK IS DRUNK IN THE MIDDLE HOUSE.
10. THE NORWEGIAN LIVES IN THE FIRST HOUSE.
11. THE MAN WHO SMOKES CHESTERFIELDS LIVES IN
THE HOUSE NEXT TO THE MAN WITH THE FOX.
12. KOOLS ARE SMOKED IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO
THE HOUSE WHERE THE HORSE IS KEPT.
13. THE LUCKY STRIKE SMOKER DRINKS
ORANGE JUICE.
14. THE JAPANESE SMOKES PARLIAMENTS.
15. THE NORWEGIAN LIVES NEXT TO THE BLUE HOUSE.
NOW, WHO DRINKS WATER? WHO OWNS THE ZEBRA?
HINTS: EACH HOUSE IS PAINTED A DIFFERENT COLOR,
AND THEIR INHABITANTS ARE OF DIFFERENT NATIONAL
EXTRACTIONS, OWN DIFFERENT PETS, DRINK
DIFFERENT BEVERAGES, AND SMOKE DIFFERENT
BRANDS OF AMERICAN CIGARETTES.
ONE OTHER THING: IN STATEMENT 6, RIGHT
MEANS YOUR RIGHT.

ANSWER:
YELLOW BLUE RED IVORY GREEN
NORWEGIAN UKRAINIAN ENGLISHMAN SPANIARD JAPANESE
KOOLS CHESTERFIELDS OLD GOLDS LUCKY ST. PARLIAMENT
FOX HORSE SNAILS DOG ZEBRA
WATER TEA MILK O. JUICE COFFEE

Submitter comment: THIS RIDDLE TESTS YOUR SENSE OF LOGIC.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-00-1987