Comments

Scroll down for the answer…
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Answer: Originally, there were twelve pairs of pears = 24 pears. If each of 12 knights took one pear, then there are still 12 left!

Thanks and Acknowledgements

This rhyme can be found in The Real Mother Goose (1916), illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright.