Riddles have deep roots in the Western literary tradition. In some books, they serve to demonstrate the protagonist’s wit, in others the hero has to solve them to escape a difficult situation. Others are designed, quite simply, to remind us that certain questions have no answer and, although they drive us out of our minds, they are also the best riddles. How you are put to wit and agility of mind
Here are nine puzzles to solve, unearthed by the Huffington Post among the pages of famous books. You will be able to solve them
. 1) From “Oedipus Re”, by Sophocles – Probably the best known riddle in Western literature. And the Sphinx to ask the question to the protagonist, outside the walls of Thebes:
“There is a being who walks at dawn with four legs, at noon with two and at sunset with three. When the number of legs is greater, its strength is less ”.
. 2) From “The Hobbit”, by JRRTolkien – Gollum and Bilbo challenge each other with riddles, and at stake there is nothing less than the life of the Hobbit. Fortunately, the protagonist manages to answer the following riddle, and thus gets to be able to escape unscathed from the tunnel where he ended up.
“This thing devours everything, what has life, the fauna and flora; kings knocks down, and so do cities, gnaws at iron, already hard lime; and plains of the mountains “.
. 3) From the Bible– This book is full of proverbs posed in the form of riddles and riddles. The best known, however, is probably the one that Samson presents to the guests at his wedding.
“From the devourer the food came out and from the strong one came the dessert”.
. 4) From “The Merchant of Venice”, by William Shakespeare – The father of the beautiful Portia has devised a way to make her daughter’s hand go only to a man of genius. Each suitor faces three chests – one gold, one silver and one lead – with a riddle written on them. Deciphering them he must choose which of the chests will lead him to get the bride.
First: “Casket of gold: whoever chooses me will earn what many men want.”
Second: “Silver casket: whoever chooses me will have more than what he needs.”
Third: “Lead casket: whoever chooses me will give and risk everything he has.” The Mad Hatter’s Riddle from “Alice in Wonderland”
At the Tea Party, the Mad Hatter presents Alice with a riddle to which there is no real solution. Try to answer too.
. 5) From “Ulysses”, by James Joyce– Leopold Bloom jokes that it would be a good test of intelligence to cross Dublin without even passing near a pub. This is not the only riddle in Joyce’s book. Stephen Dedalus puts one to his students, one that predicts such a specific answer that many critics have advanced the hypothesis that it was meant more to ridicule the very nature of riddles than to be solved.
“The rooster crowed, the sky became blue: the bells in heaven rang eleven. The time has come for the poor soul to go to heaven ”.
. 6) From “Alice in Wonderland”, by Lewis Carroll– The Mad Hatter, famous for his rambling speeches, asks Alice this riddle – which cannot be answered – only to show her that he does not know the answer, but is simply asking.
“Because a crow looks like a desk
”
. 7) From “Emma”, by Jane Austen – Emma’s wit is brought to the fore when she correctly answers a riddle posed by Mr. Elton.
“My first shows the wealth and pomp of rulers,
Lords of the earth! the luxuries and comforts reserved for them.
Another type of man, with the second you have in front of you,
Behold, he has brought you to the monarch of the seas! ”.
. 8) From “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, by JKRowling– While competing in the Three Wizards Tournament, Harry finds himself having to answer the riddle of a Sphinx.
“My first and third of passion,
and three want submission.
The second is she who, friend or lover,
of the heart and constant companion.
The third is a thick-crowned tree, a
noble branch of an overgrown forest.
Now join the three and tell me, or you traveler,
black, six legged, dirty and repulsive.
Really kissing it and what a wretched thing, can
you tell me now what it is called
“.
. 9) From “The garden of the forking paths”, by Jorge Luis Borges– Borges’ books are always full of enigma, but this one in particular contains a rather literal one. He is placed by Stephen Albert, to explain an ancient labyrinth.
“In a riddle where you put it and chess, here ” is the only forbidden word
”
.
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