Riddles in the Downs

[Rumil]

Well after PW's cracking attempt, not sure this is quite so erudite! Starting from the literal anyway....


Blind man and deaf man

- Frodo (temporarily blinded by lightning flash) and Sam (having difficulty hearing Frodo) ('man' used in general style)

standing at dusk.

- on the Emyn Muil

Who of you tells me
what are their tasks?

- Ringbearer/ Gent & Ringbearer's mate/ Gardner

First of them second.

- Sam (second-in-command) tries the climb down first but Frodo insists he comes back, then tries the climb himself

Second's - third house.

- If 'second' is now Frodo, then he was from the third branch of the Bagginses -descended from Largo not Mungo or Ponto. Alternatively he had left his third house (Crickhollow, preceeded by Bag End and Brandy Hall)

Blindness and deafness,
forest and garth.

- Frodo likes the forest, Sam prefers his garden?

Rich man and poor man,

- Frodo rich, Sam poor

brink of the day.

- before daybreak certainly

Enemy and a son
not far away.

- Gollum is the enemy not far away, and the next character met is Faramir, Son of Denethor. (Though Gollum was someone's son once!)

Hmm, probably not!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

That would be cool, alas not.

Okay! Time for BIGGER hints, since obviously not even my statement "take it less metaphorically and more literally" did not help anybody to think of the right answer!

I will therefore point out the parts which Rumil got right in his answer, as he got the closest of all:

Originally Posted by Rumil

First of them second.

- Sam (second-in-command) tries the climb down first but Frodo insists he comes back, then tries the climb himself

The interpretation of "second in command" is indeed correct here. Of course it does not need to mean that the person in the riddle is second in command to the other person in the riddle. The person can be second in command somewhere else, to somebody else...

Blindness and deafness,
forest and garth.

- Frodo likes the forest, Sam prefers his garden?

Once again, basically the interpretation (but not the two targets mentioned) is correct here - of course we are talking that there is some relation between person 1 and forest and person 2 and garden, indeed.

Also, there is something pretty correct in Rumil's interpretation of the "rich man and poor man" part...

It is not that hard. Just put two and two together. If having the stuff organised better could help you, I would advise doing something like writing down two columns, one labeled "blind man" and the other "deaf man" (the two never change their place in the riddle, in every verse the first part refers to the former and the second to the latter - and in the "first-second" part, of course "first" is the "blind man" and "second" is the "deaf man") and noting there the attributes given to the two. Then just try to think of some good picks for which the attributes would fit. Maybe it would be more inspiring to try to think of them separately, like "okay, so blind man could be this, this or this..." and then comparing the two together and trying to find some relation. Something might light up in your mind. And then also bear in mind the things they have in common here: like "standing in dusk".

[Shards of Narsil]

Frodo and the Gaffer?

Earlier, someone had guessed Frodo as the blindman, which I can't totaly make fit, but for the Gaffer, was he not hard of hearing?

Standing at dusk at Bag End when Frodo was leaving the Shire and the Black Rider approached the Gaffer inquiring about Frodo.

First of them second - the Gaffer was first in terms of age, but second to Frodo in that he was an employee.

Second's third house - wasn't his address #3 Bagshot Row.

Forest and garth - Frodo like the forest, the Gaffer like the garden.

Rich man - Frodo, poor man - Gaffer.

Brink of day - the day after Frodo, Sam and Pippin left Bag End.

Enemy - the Black Rider
Son - Sam
both not far away.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Ha! Brilliant! Very close, Shards, very close! Almost correct! Almost! But you figured out some pretty particular aspects of the riddle, very, very well done!!!

But indeed, something does not fit here, for instance, was Frodo blind? The guess before counted with one particular moment, where Frodo was "blinded" for a while, but it was by no means any trait that would be more permanent. And the "first of them second" - I am not sure if I understood right what you are trying to say, but "First" means the same person who is blind, rich etc. And so this person is for some reason also second. Somehow. Somewhere. In something.

But really, you managed to guess quite a lot of the riddle, you deserve credit for that - try to think to make it fit, I'm sure you will. Still I need the correct answer about who the "blind man" and "deaf man" are.

[Rumil]

Shards of Narsil did a great job, if I'm right of course!

Blind man and deaf man
standing at dusk. - Nazgul (effectively blind) and Gaffer (pretty deaf)
Who of you tells me
what are their tasks? - Legate of Amon Lanc and Gardner to the Gentry

First of them second. - This particular Nazgul is Khamul, 2ic of the lot

Second's - third house. -Hmmm, tricky, we're talking about the Gaffer here yes? OK possible interpretations - they are at Bag End, that will become Gaffer's third house (first in Tighfield, second Bagshot Row, does he moves in with Sam and Rosie?). Maybe Gaffer's third house - Tighfield- somewhere in Hobbiton (as Holman would have been in Bagshot Row at first), Bagshot Row. Or Tighfield, Bagshot Row, New Row/Sharkey's End.

Blindness and deafness,
forest and garth. - Khamul's lair is in Mirkwood, Gaffer's in the garden

Rich man and poor man, - Khamul's probably loaded, Gaffer was glad of a sack of spuds
brink of the day.
Enemy and a son - Sam, - Khamul's enemy, Gaffer's son
not far away.

How am I doing Legate?

[Mnemosyne]

This has to be it. But "Third House" refers to number 3, Bagshot Row.

Very, very impressive, Rumil!!

[Rumil]

Doh! You must be right Mnem!! V Cool!

Shards of Narsil did the heavy thinking really

Where's Legate anyway?