by Kevin J. Doyle –
Greetings friend, my name is Erron Fang. I am the Royal Riddle Solver for the King and Queen who live at the amazing Barfallow Castle. Whenever they have a puzzle which needs solving, they send for me. Today, I have come to you because I am in need of an apprentice. Listen carefully as I tell you these two riddles and after each one, give me your solution. If you correctly answer both of them, I will train you to become the next Royal Riddle Solver. Now, pay close attention – every single word might be a clue…
One Royal Ruby
Recently, on a very snowy night, the King called on me to hurry to the castle. I rode my horse there as quick as I could and upon entering the great hall, I saw the King and Queen sitting on their tall thrones. The Queen was clutching a handkerchief which she used to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. Standing before them were three very nervous people. The King saw me enter and immediately waved at me to come close to him.
He whispered into my ear, “One of the Queen’s precious royal rubies has been stolen! She has three of them; one blue, one green and one red. Everyone knows they are kept here at Barfallow in the Royal Treasure Room. As soon as we discovered the ruby was missing, my guards closed down the castle and were told to let you and only you in. They have assured me no one has left the grounds all day. There is only one entrance and it is watched all the time. Each guest you see around the table has been here in the Great Hall since arriving. The only people who have not been in this room all day are now standing before us; the Jester, the Maid and the Stable Boy. You must find out who did it! The Queen is so upset, she cannot even tell me which ruby is missing.”
I walked in front of the three suspects and asked each a simple question.
“Jester, where were you earlier this afternoon when the Queen’s ruby was stolen?”
“I was practicing my juggling of course!” he replied. “A Jester must always train. I have had no time to steal from the Royal Treasury!”
“Maid,” I said, “where were you this afternoon?”
“Cleaning of course!” she said. “I always clean the castle rooms when all of the guests are down here in the great hall. I love the Queen, I could never steal from her.”
“Stable Boy,” I said, “Where were you earlier today?”
“I was bathing the King’s horses of course!” he answered. “They were tired and dirty after a long day so I knew it would take quite a while to wash them all. I could not possibly have stolen the Queen’s green ruby!”
I turned to the King and announced, “I know who the thief is.”
Do you?
–The Stable Boy stole the ruby. When questioned, he said he could not have stolen the “Queen’s GREEN ruby”. But the King had said the Queen was so upset she had not even told him which ruby was missing. So the Stable Boy could not have known it was green, unless he was the thief! —
Two Royal Rubies
I correctly identified the Stable Boy as the thief and the green ruby was recovered from his cottage. The Queen herself left the Great Hall to return it to the Royal Treasure Room while the Stable Boy was hauled off to the Dungeon. I joined the rest of the guests at the table as we all listened to an announcement from the King.
“Friends,” he said, “I am sorry to tell you that tonight’s dinner will be the same as last night’s meal – vegetable stew. My Royal Cook has not had time today to prepare a new dish, because of all the distraction around the stolen ruby. He has assured me…”
Just then, the King was interrupted by a shrill scream which came from the direction of the Royal Treasure Room! He dashed off with his guards to investigate for they knew it was the Queen who had screamed. I closely watched all the people in the Great Hall and none of them moved. No one had come in or out since the Stable Boy had been taken to the Dungeon.
A few minutes later, the King returned to his throne at the end of the huge dining table and slumped down in his chair. His face was white and his voice was low and shaking.
“The other two rubies have been stolen!” he said. “The Queen is sure they were in the treasury before we started questioning the previous suspects. So none of you in here could have taken them. Neither the Stable Boy, Maid nor Jester could have done it. My guards could not have stolen them, they are far too loyal to be thieves. Oh, I do not know what to do! Mr. Fang, can you please help us again?”
“Your majesty,” I said, “Surely there are others in the castle who are not in this room. We are preparing for dinner, where are the kitchen workers?”
“Of course!” replied the King. “How foolish of me! Guards, fetch the Royal Cook and his helpers immediately!”
Two knights hurried out of the great hall and returned with the Royal Cook, the Kitchen Servant and the Royal Waitress.
Once again, I stood before the three suspects and asked them each a simple question.
“Cook,” I said, “Where were you when the Queen’s two Royal Rubies were stolen?”
“In the kitchen of course!” He replied. “I was cleaning and storing the remains of the roast pig we served for last night’s dinner. I have had no time to steal from the Queen!”
“Kitchen Servant,” I asked, “Where were you moments ago?”
“In the Royal Pantry of course!” He replied. “I always organize the Royal Pantry just before dinner. I am not a thief!”
“Royal Waitress,” I said, “Where were you when the Queen’s precious jewels were stolen?”
“I was in the Royal Storeroom of course!” She replied. “I was polishing the silverware for tonight’s dinner. I could not have taken anything from the Royal Treasure Room.”
I turned to the King and announced once again, “I know who the thief is.”
Do you?
— The Cook was the thief. When questioned, he said he was “cleaning and storing the remains of last night’s dinner”. And he said it was a ROAST PIG! But the King had already announced that we would be eating the leftovers from the previous evening’s meal, which had been vegetable stew. —
The Cook was quickly led away to join the Stable Boy in the Dungeon while the other two Royal Rubies were recovered from the kitchen. All three of the Queen’s jewels were returned to their case and the Royal Treasure Room was safe and sound once again.
“Three cheers for our Royal Riddle Solver, Mr. Erron Fang!” shouted the King.
“Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!” cried all the guests.
the end.
Now I ask you, did you have the correct solutions? Are you ready to begin your training as a Royal Riddle Solver? Then come with me, young apprentice, because the King needs us once again!
Question Time
1. What was Erron Fang in need of?
2. What had gone missing from the Royal Treasure Room?
3. How did Erron know who had stolen the green ruby?
4. What did the king say about dinner that helped Erron solve the second riddle?
5. Who had stolen the queen’s rubies?
