riddles from the "exeter book"
Jul. 23rd, 2010 11:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonflower77 riddle 45
a moth ate words - to me that seemed
a strange event when i learnt of that wonder
that the worm swallowed down part of a man's song
- the thief in the darkness - his glorious saying
and its strong foundation; the stealing guest was not
any the wiser for having swallowed those words.
(book-worm moth)
riddle 33
the wet earth, wondrously cold,
first gave me birth from its womb
i know i was not made with woollen fleeces
through high skill with hairs, by my wise mind
no weft shall be wound in me, nor have i a warp
nor does a thread run through me with the force of strokes
nor the creaking shuttle glide through me
nor from any side shall the weaving-slay strike me
silkworms did not weave me with their lucky skills
who cleverly make a fine yellow fabric
yet men widely over the earth will
call me a desirable garment for heroes
say in true speech, being wise in cunning thought
clever with words, what this clothing may be.
(mailcoat/mailshirt)
riddle 5
i am a loner, wounded by iron,
bitten by a blade, sated with war-work,
weary with swords. often i see battle,
a fierce one fighting, yet i expect no consolation
that from the battle-strife help shall come to me
before i am destroyed among the warriors,
but the hammers' leavings beat against me,
the hard-edged, the blade-sharp, the handiwork of smiths
bite in strongholds, i must endure
a more hateful meeting; never a kind of healer
could i find in the folkland
among those who healed wounds with herbs,
rather on me the scars of swords grow greater
day and night with death-blows.
(shield)
riddle 23
'agof' is my name turned round
i am a splendid creature created through struggle,
when i bend and from my bosom goes
a deadly missile i am prepared
so that i sweep that life-bane far from me,
when the master who made this punishment for me
lets go my limbs, i shall be longer than before,
until i spew forth - mixed with destruction -
the dire poison which i swallowed before.
from none among men does that leave
easily, of which i spoke before,
if what flies from my belly touches him
so that he pays for the deadly drink with his power,
with his own life, for full atonement.
unbound, i will obey no-one
unless tied with cunning. say what i am called.
(bow)
riddle 17
i am the protector of my herd,
retained by fastening wires, filled within
with noble treasures. often in the daylight
i spew spear-terror; greater is success
because of my filling; the lord beholds
how war-spikes fly from my belly.
sometimes i begin to swallow dark things,
polished battle-weapons, bitter points,
fearful deadly spears. my contents are gainful,
a fair womb-burden dear to proud men.
men remember what passes through my mouth.
(bow)
riddle 32
i am a wonderful thing, a hope for women,
useful to those near me, none do i harm
among men except my slayer.
my standing is high and steep, i stand in a bed,
hairy beneath. sometimes she dares -
the comely daughter of a yeoman,
the proud girl - so that she grips me,
rushes on me, ruddy, seizes my head
fixes me in a firm place, she soon feels
our meeting who comes near me
a woman with curly hair - wet shall be her eye.
(onion or phallus)
riddles were a very popular pastime and were often read out during feasts for amusement. the bard, or 'scop', was sometimes called 'laughter-smith', and it is supposed that riddles may have been a major source of this laughter. riddle-creation and riddle-solving apparently had strong roots in both the scandinavian and old english cultures, and some scandinavian sagas describe situations where a hero would challenge someone else - an enemy, a dangerous, worthy opponent, or another cunning character - to a riddling competition (tolkien used this in the scene where bilbo has a riddling match with gorlum and, being the trickster that he is, presents gorlum with an 'illegitimate' or 'dishonest' riddle about the object in his pocket, knowing that gorlum will not be able to win that one). for example, in the 'hervarar saga', a prisoner named gestumblindi, who is really the god odin in disguise, challenges king heidrek to solve a riddle: 'four are ganging, four are hanging, two show the way, two ward dogs off, one drags behind and is most often dirty'. the king answers correctly that it has to be a cow, since it has four legs that walk, four teets that dangle from its belly, two horns to ward off dogs and two eyes to see the way, and its tail drags behind. the fact that a king and a god occupied themselves with a riddle, especially one about such an ordinary subject, seems to confirm that this form of creativity had a special place in the scandinavian or anlo-saxon cultures.
riddles were created about the most diverse subjects - some were connected to church life or the Bible (Lot's wife, the chalice), though most were mundane (sun, ox, loom, plough), martial (sword, shield, spear, body armor, battering ram, bow) or sexual. on the whole, when it comes to the subject-matter of riddles, there seems to have been a certain pattern. there were practically no riddles about human beings (the only two that are known are about 'Lot and his wife' and 'the one-eyed garlic seller'), though most subjects seem to have been described in human terms. riddles about tools and weapons were widespread, those about means of transport were rare, and those about plants unknown (the only exception is the one about the onion, though this is something of a double entendre as the same riddle may be understood to have an explicitly sexual content). there were many riddles about birds, though not about terrestrial animals.
a riddle often started with 'i saw a creature/wonder ...' or 'i heard of a creature/wonder ...'. alternatively, the description could be put into the 'mouth' of the object being described, as if it was that object itself that was doing the speaking, and the riddle would end with the challenge: 'say what i am called'. the core of the riddle was the paradox, or contrast between two opposing parts. it served to create the actual riddle, and, at the same time, gave the listener a clue which could help resolve the contradiction and come up with the correct answer. for example, an ox could be described as a pirate in life (since, as the draught animal for a plough, it plunders the earth) and something that binds leaders in death (since its hide is used to make thongs, and thus can be said to bind leader and follower together). sometimes the paradox seems too great to make sense (e.g. the cuckoo being an orphan before birth, being thrown into a brittle lifelessness etc). such a lack of logical entailment is supposed to break down our notions of cause and effect, or the classificatory structures that a language will create, and thus makes it more difficult to find the solution.
here is one of the many classifications of anglo-saxon riddles, one where they are grouped according to the description or presentation of their subject (rather than the subject or 'solution' itself):
* biomorphic: the subject is compared to a living creature (e.g. bellows have a belly and an eye), which may involve endowing it with intentional movement, volition and bodily organs similar to those found in living beings.
* zoomorphic: the subject is compared to an animal (e.g. bagpipes have a beak, hands and feet).
* anthropomorphic: the subject is compared to a human being (e.g. a shield is described as a warrior). this seems to have been the most common class of anglo-saxon riddles.
* phytomorphic: the subject is compared to a plant. this is a very rare class; such riddles occurred only when the subjects was of a vegetable origin (e.g. battering ram, reed pen) or when the vegetable subject was a purposefully ambiguous solution (e.g. phallus/onion).
* inanimate: the subject is compared to an inanimate object. this was most common with ambiguous subjects (e.g. helmet/vagina).
* multiple: a series of comparisons that don't seem to be connected to each other.
* selected details: the subject is described in a series of detailed descriptive comparisons, typically connected to form and/or function. they are often deliberately misleading and lend themselves to multiple interpretations.
* arithmetical: the subject is described in numerical terms. there appear to be no purely arithmetical riddles among the old english ones, but some do have separate arithmetical elements.
* family relations: the subject is presented in terms of its relationships (a biblical example would be the story of Lot, whose incest meant that his daughters were his wives, their sons his sons and grandsons, etc.; an old english example would be the comparison between a cuckoo an an adopted orphan).
* cryptomorphic: the solution is encoded in the text. it can often be discovered through examining the spelling of the words. the characters may be reversed or jumbled for additional difficulty.
* homonymic: the solution is a word with more than one meaning (e.g. 'boc', which in old english meant both 'book' and 'beech tree').
* 'neck-riddles'. these are riddles about something curious and known only to the riddler (e.g., symphosius' text about the one-eyed garlic seller). in folktales, a trickster hero will often use this strategy to make sure that his opponent cannot win, especially in a situation where he had wagered his head to an enemy - hence the title, 'neck-riddles'. skilful construction is optional as the difficulty in this case lies in the unique, unusual, unsolvable nature of the subject.
* erotic. these are riddles that contain a double entendre, so they can have two alternative solutions: a straightfoward and a salacious or sexually charged one.
* non-riddles. these are questions that mimic the riddle form, but are usually jocular and light-hearted in intent (a modern english example would be 'what is black and white and re(a)d all over?').
a moth ate words - to me that seemed
a strange event when i learnt of that wonder
that the worm swallowed down part of a man's song
- the thief in the darkness - his glorious saying
and its strong foundation; the stealing guest was not
any the wiser for having swallowed those words.
(book-worm moth)
riddle 33
the wet earth, wondrously cold,
first gave me birth from its womb
i know i was not made with woollen fleeces
through high skill with hairs, by my wise mind
no weft shall be wound in me, nor have i a warp
nor does a thread run through me with the force of strokes
nor the creaking shuttle glide through me
nor from any side shall the weaving-slay strike me
silkworms did not weave me with their lucky skills
who cleverly make a fine yellow fabric
yet men widely over the earth will
call me a desirable garment for heroes
say in true speech, being wise in cunning thought
clever with words, what this clothing may be.
(mailcoat/mailshirt)
riddle 5
i am a loner, wounded by iron,
bitten by a blade, sated with war-work,
weary with swords. often i see battle,
a fierce one fighting, yet i expect no consolation
that from the battle-strife help shall come to me
before i am destroyed among the warriors,
but the hammers' leavings beat against me,
the hard-edged, the blade-sharp, the handiwork of smiths
bite in strongholds, i must endure
a more hateful meeting; never a kind of healer
could i find in the folkland
among those who healed wounds with herbs,
rather on me the scars of swords grow greater
day and night with death-blows.
(shield)
riddle 23
'agof' is my name turned round
i am a splendid creature created through struggle,
when i bend and from my bosom goes
a deadly missile i am prepared
so that i sweep that life-bane far from me,
when the master who made this punishment for me
lets go my limbs, i shall be longer than before,
until i spew forth - mixed with destruction -
the dire poison which i swallowed before.
from none among men does that leave
easily, of which i spoke before,
if what flies from my belly touches him
so that he pays for the deadly drink with his power,
with his own life, for full atonement.
unbound, i will obey no-one
unless tied with cunning. say what i am called.
(bow)
riddle 17
i am the protector of my herd,
retained by fastening wires, filled within
with noble treasures. often in the daylight
i spew spear-terror; greater is success
because of my filling; the lord beholds
how war-spikes fly from my belly.
sometimes i begin to swallow dark things,
polished battle-weapons, bitter points,
fearful deadly spears. my contents are gainful,
a fair womb-burden dear to proud men.
men remember what passes through my mouth.
(bow)
riddle 32
i am a wonderful thing, a hope for women,
useful to those near me, none do i harm
among men except my slayer.
my standing is high and steep, i stand in a bed,
hairy beneath. sometimes she dares -
the comely daughter of a yeoman,
the proud girl - so that she grips me,
rushes on me, ruddy, seizes my head
fixes me in a firm place, she soon feels
our meeting who comes near me
a woman with curly hair - wet shall be her eye.
(onion or phallus)
riddles were a very popular pastime and were often read out during feasts for amusement. the bard, or 'scop', was sometimes called 'laughter-smith', and it is supposed that riddles may have been a major source of this laughter. riddle-creation and riddle-solving apparently had strong roots in both the scandinavian and old english cultures, and some scandinavian sagas describe situations where a hero would challenge someone else - an enemy, a dangerous, worthy opponent, or another cunning character - to a riddling competition (tolkien used this in the scene where bilbo has a riddling match with gorlum and, being the trickster that he is, presents gorlum with an 'illegitimate' or 'dishonest' riddle about the object in his pocket, knowing that gorlum will not be able to win that one). for example, in the 'hervarar saga', a prisoner named gestumblindi, who is really the god odin in disguise, challenges king heidrek to solve a riddle: 'four are ganging, four are hanging, two show the way, two ward dogs off, one drags behind and is most often dirty'. the king answers correctly that it has to be a cow, since it has four legs that walk, four teets that dangle from its belly, two horns to ward off dogs and two eyes to see the way, and its tail drags behind. the fact that a king and a god occupied themselves with a riddle, especially one about such an ordinary subject, seems to confirm that this form of creativity had a special place in the scandinavian or anlo-saxon cultures.
riddles were created about the most diverse subjects - some were connected to church life or the Bible (Lot's wife, the chalice), though most were mundane (sun, ox, loom, plough), martial (sword, shield, spear, body armor, battering ram, bow) or sexual. on the whole, when it comes to the subject-matter of riddles, there seems to have been a certain pattern. there were practically no riddles about human beings (the only two that are known are about 'Lot and his wife' and 'the one-eyed garlic seller'), though most subjects seem to have been described in human terms. riddles about tools and weapons were widespread, those about means of transport were rare, and those about plants unknown (the only exception is the one about the onion, though this is something of a double entendre as the same riddle may be understood to have an explicitly sexual content). there were many riddles about birds, though not about terrestrial animals.
a riddle often started with 'i saw a creature/wonder ...' or 'i heard of a creature/wonder ...'. alternatively, the description could be put into the 'mouth' of the object being described, as if it was that object itself that was doing the speaking, and the riddle would end with the challenge: 'say what i am called'. the core of the riddle was the paradox, or contrast between two opposing parts. it served to create the actual riddle, and, at the same time, gave the listener a clue which could help resolve the contradiction and come up with the correct answer. for example, an ox could be described as a pirate in life (since, as the draught animal for a plough, it plunders the earth) and something that binds leaders in death (since its hide is used to make thongs, and thus can be said to bind leader and follower together). sometimes the paradox seems too great to make sense (e.g. the cuckoo being an orphan before birth, being thrown into a brittle lifelessness etc). such a lack of logical entailment is supposed to break down our notions of cause and effect, or the classificatory structures that a language will create, and thus makes it more difficult to find the solution.
here is one of the many classifications of anglo-saxon riddles, one where they are grouped according to the description or presentation of their subject (rather than the subject or 'solution' itself):
* biomorphic: the subject is compared to a living creature (e.g. bellows have a belly and an eye), which may involve endowing it with intentional movement, volition and bodily organs similar to those found in living beings.
* zoomorphic: the subject is compared to an animal (e.g. bagpipes have a beak, hands and feet).
* anthropomorphic: the subject is compared to a human being (e.g. a shield is described as a warrior). this seems to have been the most common class of anglo-saxon riddles.
* phytomorphic: the subject is compared to a plant. this is a very rare class; such riddles occurred only when the subjects was of a vegetable origin (e.g. battering ram, reed pen) or when the vegetable subject was a purposefully ambiguous solution (e.g. phallus/onion).
* inanimate: the subject is compared to an inanimate object. this was most common with ambiguous subjects (e.g. helmet/vagina).
* multiple: a series of comparisons that don't seem to be connected to each other.
* selected details: the subject is described in a series of detailed descriptive comparisons, typically connected to form and/or function. they are often deliberately misleading and lend themselves to multiple interpretations.
* arithmetical: the subject is described in numerical terms. there appear to be no purely arithmetical riddles among the old english ones, but some do have separate arithmetical elements.
* family relations: the subject is presented in terms of its relationships (a biblical example would be the story of Lot, whose incest meant that his daughters were his wives, their sons his sons and grandsons, etc.; an old english example would be the comparison between a cuckoo an an adopted orphan).
* cryptomorphic: the solution is encoded in the text. it can often be discovered through examining the spelling of the words. the characters may be reversed or jumbled for additional difficulty.
* homonymic: the solution is a word with more than one meaning (e.g. 'boc', which in old english meant both 'book' and 'beech tree').
* 'neck-riddles'. these are riddles about something curious and known only to the riddler (e.g., symphosius' text about the one-eyed garlic seller). in folktales, a trickster hero will often use this strategy to make sure that his opponent cannot win, especially in a situation where he had wagered his head to an enemy - hence the title, 'neck-riddles'. skilful construction is optional as the difficulty in this case lies in the unique, unusual, unsolvable nature of the subject.
* erotic. these are riddles that contain a double entendre, so they can have two alternative solutions: a straightfoward and a salacious or sexually charged one.
* non-riddles. these are questions that mimic the riddle form, but are usually jocular and light-hearted in intent (a modern english example would be 'what is black and white and re(a)d all over?').