This riddle comes from a book entitled "The American Tutor's Assistant", dated 1791.

When first the marriage knot was ty’d
Between my wife and me,
My age was to that of my bride
As three times three to three
But now when ten and half ten years,
We man and wife have been,
Her age to mine exactly bears,
As eight is to sixteen;
Now tell, I pray, from what I’ve said,
What were our ages when we wed?

(In reply to No Subject by troy)

I understand that people married early back in the day (and by "the day" I mean 1791) but 12 and six? Ignoring the faulty math,  (six is not one third of twelve) I question the notion of that wedding ever happening.  45 and 15 is equally bizarre, but the best answer.

Posted by amadeus on 2004-12-23 20:00:18