Riddles in the Downs

[skip spence]

You got it!

Well done good sir. I will not eat you now.

[Rumil]

Cheers Skip,

Well done good sir. I will not eat you now.

not sure whether to be relieved or worried

Ok, so here goes--

I met the merry travellers,
tale-weaving ravellers,
On word of the deceivers,
lying, spying reivers.
Took them with no tumult,
just ridicule and insult.
Questioned by an old friend,
hope they'll bring it to an end.
Next day all marching,
footsore, hot and parching.
Missing the old Dragon's lair,
days of old without a care.
If I steal off like a cat,
I'll go home and change my hat.

Should't be too tricksy!

[Morsul the Dark]

I'm guessing Bilbo

he met the Dwarves, took on the spiders by taunting and insulting... questioned by Gollum, or Thorin, anyway

I say Bilbo

[Rumil]

but... 'fraid not Morsul,

[skip spence]

Off the top of my head I'm guessing Beorn.

[Rumil]

Hi Skip,

'fraid not Beorn, the answer is reasonably obscure!

As with Legate's riddles all the lines mean something (though the last is a bit speculative)

Best of luck,

[Erendis]

Mmmmmm..........
Gandalf perhaps?

[skip spence]

Not feeling too confident about this after my previous very hasty guess but I reckon it's worth a shot.

I met the merry travellers,
tale-weaving ravellers,
On word of the deceivers,
lying, spying reivers.

I guess this could be referring to when Frodo and company catch up with Saruman on the way back to the Shire.

Took them with no tumult,
just ridicule and insult.
Questioned by an old friend,
hope they'll bring it to an end.

He is questioned by Gandalf but answers with insults.

Next day all marching,
footsore, hot and parching.
Missing the old Dragon's lair,
days of old without a care.

I bet Ortanc was pretty comfy, as far as lairs go...

If I steal off like a cat,
I'll go home and change my hat.

Ihe incident in Fangorn, perhaps?

[Rumil]

Hi both,

nope, not Gandalf, nor Saruman,

remember 'obscure' !

though one of Skip's explanations is more-or-less correct

[Thinlómien]

Merry?

I met the merry travellers,
tale-weaving ravellers,
On word of the deceivers,
lying, spying reivers.

Meeting Frodo, Sam and Pippin in Crickhollow, hearing their tale and also a reference to the conspiracy.

Next day all marching,
footsore, hot and parching.
Missing the old Dragon's lair,
days of old without a care.
If I steal off like a cat,
I'll go home and change my hat.

Well obviously going on an adventure and missing the Green Dragon, and a reference to what Bilbo says about hats to Merry and Pip.

But the middle part

Took them with no tumult,
just ridicule and insult.
Questioned by an old friend,
hope they'll bring it to an end.

remains unsolved. *shakes head* Ah well, maybe someone got inspired by this and will get the right answer...

[Rumil]

Nice ideas Lommy,

again, some details right, but it's not Merry,

remember- obscure - not a major character!

Carry On!

[Erendis]

Fat Bolger?

[Rumil]

Hi Erendis,

nope, not Fatty B, even more obscure!!

Cheers,

Rumil

[Beregond]

Just to confirm: this is from LotR or The Hobbit, right?

It is very tricksy indeed.

[Rumil]

Hi Beregond,

its from LoTR,

Lommy and Skip have got some bits right,

is that enough clues for now?

[Mnemosyne]

Robin Smallburrow?

Or if not, one of the Shirriffs who "arrested" the Travellers on their return to the Shire. ^_^

Yeah, I'd miss the Dragon, too.

[Beregond]

Ahhhh, beat me to it, Mnemo! Though I'm not sure about the hat reference...

[Mnemosyne]

Shirriffs have a feather in their cap to denote their office.

[Rumil]

Hi Mnemosyne,

Hurrah !!

Cock-Robin it is,

I met the merry travellers,
tale-weaving ravellers,

Merry, Pippin and Sam sat at their ease, laughing, talking and singing

On word of the deceivers,
lying, spying reivers.

There's a few as does spy-work..... "Ah, so that's how you had news of us"

Took them with no tumult,
just ridicule and insult.

Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to punch his pimply face etc

Questioned by an old friend,
hope they'll bring it to an end.

Hey, come here Robin Smallburrow

If we all got angry together something might be done

Next day all marching,
footsore, hot and parching.

At the Three-Farthing stone they gave it up

Missing the old Dragon's lair,
days of old without a care.

You used to like the inside of an inn

If I steal off like a cat,
I'll go home and change my hat.

OK, this is the speculative bit, Robin disliked the Chief etc and the Shirrifs later took off their hat-feathers and joined the revolt.


Your turn now Mnem...

[Beregond]

Very nice riddle, I must say!

[Mnemosyne]

Originally Posted by Rumil

Your turn now Mnem...

Ugh, no pressure or anything... especially after that last gem.

May be a while as my pate is addled but I'll try to have something up on Saturday.

[skip spence]

Ah it's all over... Had a feeling the travellers were the returning Hobbits as there isn't exactly a surplus of what could be called 'merry travellers' in Tolkien's books.

Well done Mnemosyne, and Rumil for penning the wriddle!

[Erendis]

Congratulations Mnemosyne!


Sorry for doing this before you Mnemy,but I won't have time the dark days that come....As for the rest of you,guys,show compassion,for this is my first time!

So,here it is:


About me,everything 's a riddle.
Various versions gives the myth.
My fathers would have slished a niddle
and the one's life ends in grief.

I just provide you with illusion,
though my intention is so pure.
I seek not to cause you confusion;
instead,I'm said to bring the cure.

Of love to light,to green,to nature,
the least praise I recept is ''fine''.
Yet still,I might not be the only,
nor the name I have is fully mine.

[Mnemosyne]

The Elessar?

(And no worries about jumping in; I'm even more swamped than I thought I was and I'd rather not put this thread on hiatus for a week)

[Erendis]

Aaaaahhhhhh,I must therefore kill myself!(yet I can't because I 'm already in the 'Downs,right?)
What can I say?Bravo Mnemy!

[Mnemosyne]

Is either going to be ridiculously hard or ridiculously easy... or neither...

The greatest of all characters,
Created, I sustain.
For without me the memories
Of all the rest would wane.
My name and form throughout the years
Have changed to suit the Age,
But who am I inside has e’er
Remained—the weaving sage.
I keep all of my secrets locked
Within my body whole,
But break my back and I will yield
The workings of my soul.
I’ll be your true and constant friend,
Though many friends have I,
And though I perished long ago,
I shall never die.

[Rumil]

Hi Mnem,

Middle Earth itself?

-greatest of all characters, changes with the ages, gone but lasts forever???

-well OK its a first guess!

[Mnemosyne]

Nope, although I like the cosmic-ness of your guess. ^_^

[Rumil]

Aha, good one Mnem,

(and I shall treasure being accused of cosmicness )

Will have to put my thinking cap on and no mistake,

[Annunfuiniel]

I'm tempted to say Gandalf - so I say Gandalf.

[Mnemosyne]

And Gandalf, alas, is wrong.

Not that the fellow himself is wrong, mind, in fact, he's quite right most of the time; but the guess is incorrect.

[Eönwë]

Is it... The Red Book?

[skip spence]

Just read the riddle and came to same conclusion as Eönwe did: it's a book surely.

The book perhaps? The first book, the invention of the book...

[Mnemosyne]

Eonwe's got it. Excellent work; I'm sure now that everyone knows the answer I won't need to parse the riddle...

Or I'm just lazy...

[Rumil]

Bump..

Eonwe,

go on, riddle it up my friend, you know you want to!

[Morsul the Dark]

BUMP! OW! my elbow..

[Eönwë]

Erm... I'm sorry about that. Someone else can take the thread if they want.

[Morsul the Dark]

Age unknown, yet I am aged
No food needed, yet I feed
No ears have I, yet I listen to music
When I'm angered, I'm given a pillow

[Rumil]

Hi Morsul,

glad to see you've got this thread running again.

Really nice riddle, requiring lots of hmm-ing and ha-ing but I think I have it!

The Barrow-Wight-

Age unknown, yet I am aged - obviously no spring chicken
No food needed, yet I feed - on unwary hobbits?
No ears have I, yet I listen to music - well, a skull has no ears, and the tune of 'Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo'
When I'm angered, I'm given a pillow - Threw me for a bit until I remembered Tom's previous encounter with the wight in 'Adventures'...

Go back to grassy mound on your stony pillow
lay down your bony head, like Old Man Willow

Nice one!

[Morsul the Dark]

very good sir you may proceed