Limerick Paradox

[bonanova]

I found this puzzle in a book which attributed it to the British Monthly Games & Puzzles.
I have adapted it somewhat.

How many limericks [allowing for variations in form] are listed here?

There was a young girl in Japan
Whose limericks never would scan.
___ When someone asked why,
___ She said, with a sigh,
"It's because I always attempt to
get as many words into the last
line as I possibly can."

Another young poet in China
Had a feeling for rhythm much fina.
___ His limericks tend
___ To come to an end
Suddenly.

There was a young lady of Crewe
Whose Limericks stopped at line two.

There was a young man of Verdun.

[Rob_Gandy]

5?

[phaze]

There was a young man from Ecuador

Who thought counting was a chore

Instead of answering the question

Decided to rather impress them

By adding one limerick more

(or was that two?)

Edit:Are we also meant to count the word "limerick"?

@Rob I don't think we can count to zero.

Edited January 22, 2013 by phaze

[bonanova]

5?

That's the answer I had in mind. The complete set.

Did you notice the font change I used to emphasize it?

[bonanova]

There was a young man from Ecuador

Who thought counting was a chore

Instead of answering the question

Decided to rather impress them

By adding one limerick more

(or was that two?)

Edit:Are we also meant to count the word "limerick"?

@Rob I don't think we can count to zero.

Good observation Phaze.

I hadn't thought of counting the word itself.

RG caught the idea.

[phaze]

Can someone explain to me how to get an answer of

5

without claiming that nothing is something

[Rob_Gandy]

Can someone explain to me how to get an answer of

5

without claiming that nothing is something

The 4 limericks together create a 5th one. If we loosen up our definition of a limerick.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Rob_Gandy