Carry Norris, age 9, of Wichita, Kansas, for his question:

Why is 13 called a baker's dozen?

Nobody is certain how this got started, but we do know it began a long, long time ago. One explanation is that in those days there were very, very harsh punishments for tradespeople who cheated their customers. To be on the safe side, says this theory, bakers threw in an extra loaf with every dozen they sold so that no one could say they weren't fair.

Another theory, and this is the one Andy likes, is that in those days people were poor and bread was a very important part of the family diet. Naturally, the baker wanted to help his customers for they were his friends. But giving extra bread would be a handout and hurt their pride. So this kindly man pretended he could not count very well. Everybody, of course, knew that 12 loaves makes a dozen. But when the baker counted a dozen, the customer got 13 loaves. This went on so long that people started calling 13 the baker°s dozen, even after they forgot the kindly baker. Nobody can prove these details are exactly true. But Andy feels sure that it is the most likely story.