Riddles in the Downs

[Urwen]

Could the answer be 'no one', or some variation thereof? The text says that Ancalime originally wanted to marry no one, the dwarves feared no one, Shadowfax bore no one originally etc.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Could the answer be 'no one', or some variation thereof? The text says that Ancalime originally wanted to marry no one, the dwarves feared no one, Shadowfax bore no one originally etc.

Correct! Or close enough: the actual answer is "no man".

I heard their words:
The lord of the Forest welcomed me: "Into Doriath shall no Man come while my realm lasts, not even those of the house of Beor who serve Finrod the beloved."
The queen of the Island wished my hand: "I should be free to wed whom I will; and that would be Uner (which is “Noman”), whom I prefer above all others."
The king in the Mountains feared me: "Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!"
The steed of the Plains would bear me: "Seven nights ago Shadowfax returned; but the king's anger is not less, for now the horse is wild and will let no man handle him."
But in the end, each found another.
Who am I?
I am No Man.


With full credit to Miranda Otto, who has just today appeared in-character as Eowyn to narrate the "War of the Rohirrim" movie.

... which of course means I was wrong about Telperien, for we all know that the Witch-King of the mountains of Angmar was in reality the Witch-Queen, etc etc etc.

Anyway, over to you!

hS

[Urwen]

I finally figured out what to use, so try this one on for size.

My twin and I were born amidst twilight
We were forcibly torn apart
I settled in woodland realm, a place of light
And there I got a new start

Years passed, and a companion strong
Realized my worth and took me along
We traveled for a long time
On a search without reason or rhyme

In the place of shadows he was gone
But I, I lived on
A new companion I found
But unseen forces had him bound

But I still had my own free will
For good or for ill
Tales were told
About a grudge I did hold

I died at the riverside
Swallowed by the tide
One day I will return at last
And the final judgment will be cast.

[Huinesoron]

brb, checking The Children of Hurin.

Hmm, okay. I'm going to guess you are Anglachel/Gurthang. There's some nice translated names in the riddle - I spotted "strong" for Beleg and "place of shadows" for Taur-nu-Fuin. I had to look up "twilight" for Nan Elmoth, and can't make "place of light" fit anything specific for Doriath.

The thing I was checking was what actually happened to ol'Blacksword. The riddle made me wonder if it had gone into the river somehow, but shattering counts as "died at the riverside". "Swallowed by the tide" I guess means... blood and/or despair?

hS

[Urwen]

Your explanation is correct.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Your explanation is correct.

Awesome. This one's been percolating in my mind for a week or two:

At the first we stood high on the slopes,
Watching waiting as the wanderer climbed.
One of us watched the dance in the dark,
Held the haggard hero lest he fall.
And one strode swift through gentle hills,
Great gait drawing the gaze of passer-by.
But at the last we fell, frail and weak:
The master may have mourned us, if he learned.

"Not very good, perhaps, but to the point," as Bilbo says (that's not a clue).

hS
[/I]

[Urwen]

That makes me think of paired things, and my first instinct says the Towers of the Teeth.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

That makes me think of paired things, and my first instinct says the Towers of the Teeth.

Not the Towers of the Teeth, and I wouldn't get too hung up on "paired" if I were you.

hS

[Mithadan]

The watchers of the gate of Cirith Ungol?

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

The watchers of the gate of Cirith Ungol?

Also no. The speakers were never in Mordor.

hS

[Urwen]

The beacons of Gondor?

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

The beacons of Gondor?

No.

The riddle is a lot more literal than it feels like you're reading it.

hS

[Urwen]

Well, it could be your kind. The Eagles, that is. Except they don't fit the last two lines. And they did enter Mordor.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Well, it could be your kind. The Eagles, that is. Except they don't fit the last two lines. And they did enter Mordor.

It's not the Eagles, though you're onto a good thing thinking about species.

I will mention that the time between the second and third events is a lot longer than you're thinking... and that "at the first" and "at the last" are literal, but not in a way you've mentioned yet.

hS

[Urwen]

The Ents?

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

The Ents?

Technically you're closer, but I don't think you're going to find the answer by just listing off species. Share your thinking and I will offer hints.

hS

[Urwen]

Well, I have no real explanation, other than that this line made me think of Quickbeam

And one strode swift through gentle hills

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Well, I have no real explanation, other than that this line made me think of Quickbeam

Quickbeam might have made someone else think of that incident, except that the wrong Hobbits were in Fangorn.

hS