The answer to the riddle “Nature requires five, custom gives seven, laziness takes nine, and wickedness eleven” is hours of sleep a night. It comes from a collection of riddles gathered from Black schoolchildren in New Orleans and printed in early-1920s issues of the Journal of American Folklore. Another from the same list: What breaks when you name it? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of ““Nature Requires Five” in a 1920s New Orleans Riddle Collection”
You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett. Martha, see if you can guess what I’m talking about.
I never know what you’re talking about.
No, no, no. No, this is a riddle. Listen to this.
Oh, a riddle. Okay, a riddle.
Nature requires five. Custom gives seven. Laziness takes nine. And wickedness, eleven. What is it?
Sick days?
No, no, no, no.
Calories?
Five calories?
What kind of piece of celery?
No.
No, it’s hours of sleep a night.
Listen again.
Hours of sleep.
Nature requires five.
Custom gives seven.
Laziness takes nine.
And wickedness, 11.
Oh, very good.
Okay.
That’s not bad, right?
I get it, yeah.
I found that when I was browsing, believe it or not, issues of the Journal of American Folklore from the early 1920s.
Of course I believe that.
Fascinating stuff, though.
Really fascinating stuff.
There was a collection of riddles collected from black school children in New Orleans in the 1920s.
Oh, how cool.
I’d love to see that myself.
All right.
Well, here’s another one from the list, all right?
What is it you will break even if you name it?
That I’ll break even if I name it?
Mm—
You’re blinding me with…
Silence!
Silence, yes.
Sounds like you weren’t tugging on your ear.
Yes.
What is it you will break even if you name it?
Yeah, if you name silence, yeah, you’re breaking it.
Well, break your silence now.
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