Riddles in the Downs

[Azaghâl]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Yes, the skies... How often do "skies" play any role in Tolkien's writings?

A most valid question, reminded me of the rain...

And not only do they play a role but they "unveil mysteries hidden long ago". It had to be the keyhole revealed by the setting sun, when it is litterally unveiled by the clouds at the last second.

Still the rest made no sense. Then there were the friends which I thought could be Dain and his army; and the Other which could be the Eagles, or their King as it is a singular, and well they did save the day, nearly.

I was getting near but I still didn't get the "I". It took me another week but now I think I have it and because it never harms to go back to the texts, this is my answer:

To first of you, I'm just a tale,
told by the skies, as they unveil
mysteries hidden long ago.

There on the grey stone in the grass was an enormous thrush, nearly coal black, its pale yellow breast freckled with dark spots. Crack! It had caught a snail and was knocking it on the stone. Crack! Crack!
Suddenly Bilbo understood.

To second one, who's bigger still
than me, I'm first a fear until
I show him I can bring your friends;
his trust shall be of importance.

'We may not understand him, but that old bird understands us, I am sure,' said Balin. 'Keep watch now, and see what happens!'
Before long there was a fluttering of wings, and back came the thrush; and with him came a most decrepit old bird.

And to the third, whom you don't know,
I enlighten the terror's night,
and in mine and the Other's flight
I save more than the tale did show.

Suddenly out of the dark something fluttered to his shoulder. He started - but it was only an old thrush. Unafraid it perched by his ear and it brought him news. Marvelling he found he could understand its tongue, for he was of the race of Dale.

So in the end, the friends are the ravens, and the Other is Smaug. First, second and third are Bilbo, Balin and Bard who is unknown to the first two at this point of the story. I, of course, is the thrush. That is my interpretation.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Yes and yes indeed!! That was absolutely amazing job, Azaghâl! You deserve applause for solving this riddle after what seemed a bit like lost case. (I have already forgotten about the rain riddle, but I see that there remains some similar pattern in my riddles - whether it's for good or not remains a question )

I think the key here was really to start thinking about The Hobbit. It sort of frustrated me (though I can imagine similar frustration on the side of those who tried to guess) to see everyone once again starting to think about obscure things from the Silmarillion or who knows where, since I picked The Hobbit intentionally, as everybody was aware of the movie being released that year (when I posted the riddle originally... ), and once again I thought I was being too obvious (well, I think so every time and every time I am proven to be wrong).

So the "I" is, of course, the thrush; aside from what Azaghâl said, "to first of you, I'm just a tale..." was also supposed to allude to the hidden script written in Moon-Letters, where the thrush is really only mentioned in a rather cryptic way; the mysteries could also refer to the script itself, revealed only under the moonlight. "The first" could then be practically anyone of the Company, I was thinking of Thorin, since then the use of words "the first" could have double meaning, but it isn't necessary (the "you" of course is Thorin's company as a whole in any case). "The second" was meant to be specifically Bilbo, with the hint to his height (however the smallest, still bigger than the thrush), plus he was the one mistrustful about the thrush in the beginning. "His trust was of importance" because of what followed, so the thrush could be around and Bard could learn about Smaug's weak spot. The rest Azaghâl sums up correctly - the "terror's night" is indeed the night when Lake-Town is destroyed, the Other is Smaug, the person referred to is Bard; I could only add that with the line "I save more than the tale did show" I was thinking about The Quest of Erebor (and the Appendices to LotR) where Gandalf remarks that perhaps by killing the Dragon the Free Peoples were saved from one possible future ally of Sauron who could literally set the North ablaze. But that's all detail and all was supposed only to serve the identification; the main point is the thrush, and that is the correct answer.

I think Azaghâl rightfully deserves to post the next riddle Looking forward to it!

[Galadriel55]

Great job indeed, Azaghal! That was absolutely amazing!

I can't believe I've been walking around it in circles for weeks. I have considered the reveal part to be a reference to "the clouds burst", and I thought of Smaug's attack as the night, but it didn't make sense because I never thought that I is the thrush. Azaghal deserves all the praise for getting it.

[Azaghâl]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Yes and yes indeed!! That was absolutely amazing job, Azaghâl! You deserve applause for solving this riddle after what seemed a bit like lost case.

Not so amazing, as I had the first and second wrong. The Moon revealing the hidden letters crossed my mind as an interpretation of the skies unveiling mysteries, but by the time I was really convinced it was about the keyhole I had totally forgotten that the letters did mention the thrush. So, taking only from the scene I quoted, the first had to be Bilbo and then he could not be the second so it had to be Balin.

I was concerned that my interpretation did not cover everything in your riddle but now it all makes sense. Just give me until tomorrow and I should come up with something.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Azaghâl

Not so amazing, as I had the first and second wrong. The Moon revealing the hidden letters crossed my mind as an interpretation of the skies unveiling mysteries, but by the time I was really convinced it was about the keyhole I had totally forgotten that the letters did mention the thrush. So, taking only from the scene I quoted, the first had to be Bilbo and then he could not be the second so it had to be Balin.

I was concerned that my interpretation did not cover everything in your riddle but now it all makes sense. Just give me until tomorrow and I should come up with something.

Well, these are minor details, really. As I said, all these things about who is the first or second are supposed to be "helpers" (and they are variable, as long as it fits). The main thing is the thrush.

[Azaghâl]

Well here is my feeble attempt, certainly not as good as yours, and probably too easy. While I enjoy immensely guessing at riddles, writing one is a nighmare, anyway here it is.



When light and hope are long forgotten
Behind closed doors, in deep dungeons and chains of iron,

Only I can find a way
Over the mountains or under wide waters and even to the highest tower

To come and bring back
Friend to friend, lover to lover and kinsman to kinsman,

Allowing the tortured souls
To give voice one last time before they are released.

[Morsul the Dark]

Originally Posted by Azaghâl

Well here is my feeble attempt, certainly not as good as yours, and probably too easy. While I enjoy immensely guessing at riddles, writing one is a nighmare, anyway here it is.



When light and hope are long forgotten
Behind closed doors, in deep dungeons and chains of iron,

Only I can find a way
Over the mountains or under wide waters and even to the highest tower

To come and bring back
Friend to friend, lover to lover and kinsman to kinsman,

Allowing the tortured souls
To give voice one last time before they are released.

see I was thinking Gandalf until the last verser which makes me think Aragorn...

See Gandalf fits in with Thorin's father locked away hope lost
finding his way over the mountain un the waters and highest twer the balrog pursuit
to come and bring back friend to friend lover to lover kinsman to kinsman could be any number of folks

Aragorn however clinches the army of the dead... fulfill their oath and be done...

will keep thinking

[Galadriel55]

I am thinking it's Luthien releasing the prisoners of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. The waters don't make sense, though, and allowing to give voice? Hmm...

[Gil-Galad]

Originally Posted by Azaghâl

When light and hope are long forgotten
Behind closed doors, in deep dungeons and chains of iron,

Only I can find a way
Over the mountains or under wide waters and even to the highest tower

To come and bring back
Friend to friend, lover to lover and kinsman to kinsman,

Allowing the tortured souls
To give voice one last time before they are released.

This is a really good riddle!

I want to say either Maedhros or even the Silmarils. Even Feanor screams at me, mostly because of the kinsman parts and how the Noldor were linked to the Silmarils.

Unless this is a hobbit/lotr riddle, I fear to be going in the wrong direction

[Azaghâl]

None of your three guesses is the answer, but I have to say that Maedhros is indeed mentioned in the riddle.