Leave the speaker out and the rest make 99. Three lots of 33 make 99, so the flock is 33.
A pigeon sitting in a tree sees a flock fly past and calls out, “If there were as many of you again, and as many again on top of that, then with me there would be a hundred of us.” How many pigeons are in the flock?
Give me a hintThe hint
Take the speaker off first.
Reveal the answerHide the answer
33
Source: Alcuin of York (attributed), Propositiones ad Acuendos Juvenes, no. 45, c. 800