The Heron and the Fish
Trick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.
A heron caught a fish in his bill and was carrying it alive back to his nest. Worried about his own life, the fish was thinking hard to find a way to free himself. Coming up with a bright idea, he then said to the heron,
"Birdie, I've learned that you're a smart bird, and I'm dying to know if it's true. Can you do me a favor before I die? I will ask you one question. If your answer is right, take me to your home and feed your chicks. If it's wrong, just eat me right now. But if it's too hard for you to answer, then please set me free. Will you accept the bet?"
The heron thought it was a sure win because even if he couldn't find the answer, he'd just simply say something wrong. Either way the fish would die. So he agreed immediately.
The fish then asked a simple question. The heron then realized that he would lose for sure. So he had to drop the smart fish back to the waters, having learned a good lesson.
What was the question that saved the fish's life?
Answer
The fish simply asked any non-yes/no question he wished. Remember, the fish was carried in the heron's bill. Whatever answer the bird might give, he would have to open his bill and thus free the fish.
You might ask how then did the heron agree to the bet in the first place? He simply nodded his head.
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Comments
Cakey1987
Oct 20, 2003
| If the heron had the fish sideways in its bill, then its mouth could still be open. Herons can talk with their mouths only slightly open, as their tongues are located further back in their mouths. Anyway, the heron could throw the fish in the air, answer the question and then catch the fish again. |
LungTungBeng 
Oct 20, 2003
| Good point, Cakey1987. My teaser is not perfect in realistic terms. An interesting note: a friend of mine suggested this question, "Will you eat me right now?" which would create a paradox for a Yes or No answer, but to which the bird could simply reply "Maybe" or "It depends" which are valid answers. |
LungTungBeng
Oct 20, 2003
| May I add: of course the above argument only makes sense when you put aside the trick. |
skoolkid 
Oct 21, 2003
| Herons can talk? |
jessicag  
Oct 22, 2003
| I think You should review the first line of this teaser. If the heron brings the fish back to the nest, If he answers and drops the fish, the fish dies anyway as it's stuck in the nest and not in the water, but otherwise a brilliant teaser. : ) |
fasil
Oct 22, 2003
| "Will you eat me right now?" does not create a paradox. The bird says no, takes the fish to his kids. He was right, therefore the kids eat him. |
LungTungBeng
Oct 23, 2003
| To fasil: Yes, stupid of me to have ignored that! To jessicag: Yes, I noticed that poor wording when the teaser was being evaluated so I could do nothing about it. Editors out there please do it for me, say replace "carried" with "was carrying". |
howdyall1311
Oct 25, 2003
| Well, despite all of that, I really liked it and it made me think. |
mollamusic9
Nov 15, 2003
| I aggree with hody ya'll. I think you are thinking to much of it . Wait, that makes me one of the thinkers. O, I'm confused. |
mollamusic9
Nov 15, 2003
| Oh, sorry about spelling 'howdy' wrong. I was going too fast. |
eiennikirei
Dec 25, 2003
| I like teasers like this. It doesnt have to be realistic. Sometimes that makes it more fun 
Good Job |
rashad
Jul 08, 2004
| Smart but i read it thousandss of time |
sweetime
May 24, 2005
| ok - i got that as soon as the heron opened its mouth to answer the question the fish would fall out, but herein lies the problem for me.
if the heron can accede to the fishes request by nodding its head, why can't it just nod or shake its head in response to any of the "yes/no" questions that the fish asks? |
lessthanjake789
May 29, 2005
| the question i came up with would be "can you open your bill and let me jump out?" a yes or no, spoken, would let him jump out anyway... |
starcatcher393
Jun 14, 2005
| I was thinking he could ask what color the herons eyes were but he could just lie |
deepsea
Aug 02, 2005
| great teaser but i think this would fit more in situation |
nshachafn
Dec 20, 2005
| it was kinda easy, hoever I don't think it should be a yes or no question because then the heron can nod/shake his head as an answer and the fish loses. |
qqqq
May 27, 2006
| Wow. Very clever.I liked it alot.  |
ArgenRaquet
May 28, 2007
| How about... Are you going to feed me to your chicks? If he says yes, then he's right and hence would eat it now, but that's contradicting his answer. If he says no, wait, he'll eat it now....I'm confused, never mind. Great Teaser!! |
luckylefty
Mar 26, 2008
| Sweetime just took the words right out of my mouth. This teaser wasn't very well thought out  |
zirby3030
Jul 11, 2008
| this one was my favorite |
Cindzey
Nov 04, 2008
| But if he had answered yes/no he would have been wrong and able to eat the fish?
This teaser makes no sense. Yes/no is still a wrong answer. |
Flamey500
Jan 03, 2010
| Cindzey, when he talks he opens his mouth, thus releasing the fish.
Awesome teaser! I can't believe I didn't get it in the first place.. |
mathisnice
Mar 12, 2010
| Grat teaser. In my favorites. |
mathisnice
Mar 12, 2010
| I meant great.  |
sashomarine 
Mar 23, 2013
| I'm glad you cleared any confusion concerning how the heron agreed.  |
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