There are many English words that you can add an “s” to make it plural. But far fewer words become singular when you add an “s”. What are two examples of these much rarer words?
There was a green house. Inside the green house there was a white house. Inside the white house there was a red house. Inside the red house there were lots of babies. What is it?
This walks on graves at night yet in homes during the day,
Men are scared of it, women like it, children play with it,
It lives on dates and salt,
It is covered in hair,
Its name starts with ‘M’ and it is mentioned in the Quran.
Moths.
Most species of moths are nocturnal, yet they are attracted to light and can be found in homes. Men, in the most generic sense, can be scared of moths (see Mottephobia) as well as the damage they can cause as pests to bee hives, grain, flour, trees and agriculture. Women like moths because of the silk they produce. Children frequently chase and play with moths. Moths are attracted to salt and love to eat rotting fruit (such as dates). Some species of moths are densely covered with tiny hairs and of course it starts with the letter ‘m’. Lastly, moths are mentioned in the Quran (101:4 (Asad) [It will occur] on the Day when men will be like moths swarming in confusion)
Alan fires a bullet from his hand gun and his friend Wade catches the bullet with his bare hands. The gun shoots actual, deadly bullets. The bullet does not touch anything but air after it leaves the gun and until it reaches Wade’s hand. Wade is uninjured. How does he do it?
Alan fires his bullet from a .25 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), which will reach a maximum height of 2,287 feet. He shoots directly upward while standing at the base of Burj Khalifa, a 2,722 foot tall building.
Wade is a window cleaner at that building, waiting at 2,287 feet. When the bullet reaches that height and is about to go back down again, he reaches out with his bare hands and catches it.