Riddles in the Downs

[Urwen]

Huorns?

The Huorns mostly stood as dark trees in the deepest forests, gnarled and unmoving, yet watchful. When aroused in wrath they moved swiftly as if wrapped in shadows, falling on foes with deadly and merciless strength.

Or in other words, they swallowed foes.

[Urwen]

I cannot reconcile this with other lines, though.....

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Huorns?

It's the Huorn forest that came to Rohan's aid, but I'll give it to you.

Consider these passages:

The land had changed. Where before the green dale had lain, its grassy slopes lapping the ever-mounting hills, there now a forest loomed. Great trees, bare and silent, stood, rank on rank, with tangled bough and hoary head; their twisted roots were buried in the long green grass. Darkness was under them. Between the Dike and the eaves of that nameless wood only two open furlongs lay. There now cowered the proud hosts of Saruman, in terror of the king and in terror of the trees. They streamed down from Helm's Gate until all above the Dike was empty of them, but below it they were packed like swarming flies. Vainly they crawled and clambered about the walls of the coomb. seeking to escape. Upon the east too sheer and stony was the valley's side; upon the left, from the west, their final doom approached.
...
The Orcs reeled and screamed and cast aside both sword and spear. Like a black smoke driven by a mounting wind they fled. Wailing they passed under the waiting shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again.
...
He turned and gazed in wonder, first at the wood and then at Gandalf. 'Once more you come in the hour of need, unlooked-for,' he said.
'Unlooked-for?' said Gandalf. 'I said that I would return and meet you here.'

You gaze at me
And turn to Him. - everyone looks to Gandalf for an explanation
You hoped for neither. - no indeed, both were unlooked for

I swallow light, - being a dark dark forest
I swallow foes. - Orcs
I'm not the final doom. - no, Gandalf and Erkenbrand are described thus but the forest is not.

I serve myself. - indeed, the huorns do what they would. They helped out in the battle but only for their own revenge.
I come and go. - without warning.
I do not parley. - silent things, don't negotiate with Saruman.


Saruman and the Ents are a little Macbethan. "I will not be afraid of death and bane till Fangorn Forest come to Isengard!".

Yeah.

I'm sorry if the riddle and the clues were misleading. I thought the riddle would be pretty simple, as it's based on the text elements. But maybe it was too muddled a way to present the topic.

Over to you now! Well done!

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I'm sorry if the riddle and the clues were misleading. I thought the riddle would be pretty simple, as it's based on the text elements. But maybe it was too muddled a way to present the topic.

I think the point of a riddle is to be misleading... We all (well, I all, at least) just got hung up on the idea that it had to be something evil. But, "the words were not 'the doom of Minas Tirith'..."!

Urwen - well guessed! (My next thought would have been the Treegarth of Orthanc, still on the idea of Him being Sauron...)

As for yours, my instant thought, what with all the Gondolin talk, is 'The White City', ie, Gondolin and Minas Tirith. But I don't think it quite fits perfectly.

hS

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

I think the point of a riddle is to be misleading... We all (well, I all, at least) just got hung up on the idea that it had to be something evil. But, "the words were not 'the doom of Minas Tirith'..."!

Urwen - well guessed! (My next thought would have been the Treegarth of Orthanc, still on the idea of Him being Sauron...)

As for yours, my instant thought, what with all the Gondolin talk, is 'The White City', ie, Gondolin and Minas Tirith. But I don't think it quite fits perfectly.

hS

Nope, mwhahahaha!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Nope, mwhahahaha!

Well, with the same Gondolin talk, Gollum and Maeglin?

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Well, with the same Gondolin talk, Gollum and Maeglin?

You forgot to name the speaker.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

You forgot to name the speaker.

Well, it's always "you and I", with nothing to differentiate them, so either one could be I and the other one is You.

[Urwen]

I give you a simple riddle of my own


You and I have never met
Never talked to each other
We were both an asset and a threat
And near replicas of one another

You and I, prisoners of desire
Towards that which we'd never claim
What we sought, we couldn't acquire
We played and lost a deadly game

And while eons set us apart
We both shared a similar trait
In important events we played our part
And we shared the same fate


(Fair warning, I am being a bit cheeky with this riddle. )