This one might take a while...

[Zephyrus]

'Twas in heaven pronounced, and 'twas muttered in hell,
An echo caught faintly the sound as it fell;
On the confines of earth 'twas permitted to rest,
And the depths of the ocean its presence confessed;
'Twill be found in the sphere when 'tis riven asunder,
Be seen in the lightning and heard in the thunder.
'Twas allotted to man with his earliest breath,
Attends him at birth, and awaits him in death,
Presides o'er his happiness, honor, and health,
Is the prop of his house, and the end of his wealth.
In the heaps of the miser 'tis hoarded with care,
But is sure to be lost on the prodigal heir.
It begins every hope, every wish it must bound,
With the husbandman toils, and with monarchs is crowned.
Without it the soldier, the seamn may roam,
But woe to the wretch who expels it from home!
In the whispers of conscience its voice will be found,
Nor e'en in the whirlwind of passion be drowned.
'Twill not soften the heart; but though deaf be the ear,
It will make it acutely and instantly hear.
Yet in shade let it rest, like a delicate flower,
Ah... breathe on it softly, - it dies in an hour.

[blinc]

Good grief this is a hard one! I've read this a few times now and just get so caught up in it (because it's beautiful on it's own) that I forget what I'm looking for! Have a feeling this one is going to take awhile to get. ;)

[TTP]

I was thinking maybe the letter 'e'
Then there are times that it doesn't seem to fit...hmmm

[Zephyrus]

Nah, that was the answer to one of my previous riddles (you guessed it I think :) ), I don't use riddles with the same answer twice ;) It's all part of my quest to find the ULTIMATE unanswerable riddle!!

Cheers!

[blinc]

Dag, this is a hard one. For some reason I was thinking of gold, but it does not fit with parts of the riddle. Is it a mineral? Clues! Heeeeeeelp, we need clues!! Is the answer in the riddle itself, or is it something not named in the riddle? aargh! This one is hard!!

[Zephyrus]

No, it's not a mineral :) Read the lines carefully, the answer's in there!

[blinc]

Aaggh! I get so caught up when reading that poem/riddle. It's so beautiful that it conjures up all sorts of images and I find myself getting lost in it! :)

*sigh*

It's a good one, whatever it is, just for the riddle itself. hmm... could it possibly be air? Light? Does the line with the sphere have great importance?

[Zephyrus]

The sphere is important, just like all the other key words in the poem...it really isn't all that hard! I thught I was gonna be busted by now! {toothy}

[TTP]

GRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{flame}

I will get it...soon...I feel it...

[blinc]

Is it "Wonder"?
quit that gloating over there!! *grin*

[jamesglewisf]

Is it the letter "H"? The end of his wealth.

[Debby]

I just read this one...and I think your'e right, Jim...I don't think I would have figured this one out very fast. Good one.

[thespian]

Jim - that has to be correct. Especially in -

... but though deaf be the ear,
It will make it acutely and instantly hear.

Adding "h" to a "deaf ear" will make the "deaf hear".

Excellent riddle Zephyrus. Where did you find it?

[Zephyrus]

CONGRATULATIONS JIM!!! TTP was close, he said it was the letter "e" :)

I got the riddle from a friend by e-mail! {toothy}

[TTP]

Oh wow! I knew it was a letter...just couldn't pinpoint the correct one. Nice riddle...congrats Jim!

[blinc]

Congrats Jim!!

Great riddle Zephyrus!! :)

[KatCo]

You guys will probably get this in no time, but I thought it was a nice riddle and wanted to share it with you all...

From everyone I something take,
But on myself no claim I make.
Mark well my nature. If you gaze
Into my face I mock your ways:
For if you sorrow, I am sad;
But if you smile, you make me glad.
Because I tell truth from a lie,
Men call me wicked, false, and sly;
Strange saying this, but true I ween.
So I, to let it clear be seen
That truth nor honesty I lack,
Will never tell you white is black.

[thespian]

Your reflection (like in a mirror)?

[blinc]

Or just the mirror itself Thespian? Hey, where've you been lately by the way? We've missed seeing your regular presence around here. :)

[KatCo]

Blinc is correct, it is a mirror.

I knew that it wouldn't last long, but some of the older riddles are worded so well, just kind of neat to read them;)

[thespian]

Glad to see I was missed. {anon}

I was busy trying to get myself skilled to do some freelance web design as an additional income. I was here every so often, just didn't have the time to post or anything to contribute.

But, here I am again. Larger than life and Blessed as well! {popworm}

[blinc]

I'd have to agree with you Katco - some of the riddles posted here are just fantastic in the wording alone. :) Woo hoo! got one right, been in a slump lately.

Thespian, of course you were missed - geesh, you were the first one that had me banging my head on the wall... don't think you'll escape unnoticed around here! I have bumps on my forehead that are determined to repay you in kind. *chuckle* {toothy} Glad to hear you're back! :)

[blinc]

Lucky day over here - another empty slot for a riddle! *grin*

I start with the letter e,
I end with the letter e.
I contain only one letter,
Yet I am not the letter e!
What am I?

[TTP]

eye which is pronounced I...?
Maybe, yah, you tink so?
That is what I think.

[blinc]

Nope, I don't tink so! Tee hee! {toothy}

Edited to add: But you know, that would have been a great answer for that riddle!

[TTP]

That is exactly what I was thinking...
I might not be correct, but this young fella got a great answer! {mm}

[Alec]

Envelope

[KatCo]

Alec's got my vote! I think you are right....

contains only one letter...tricky;)

[blinc]

Yepper, Alec got the answer! Took awhile to read through that loooooong post to make sure he had posted the right answer though. {toothy} It's ok Alec... we're a little strange and goofy, but we don't bite!

Ahhh.. the perfect guy huh? Smart & Quiet! *lol* {toothy}

[Debby]

That was really good, Alec!! When I first read your answer I was like...huh? She said it only had one letter, silly...then it hit me...and I thought, boy I'm the dummy here!! LOL Good job!!!! :)

[Alec]

I'd like to thank my wife and kids without whose constant nagging support I never would have made it here today. I'd also like to thank all the countless little and insignificant people who sheepishly cowered and fell by the wayside as I clawed climbed my way to the top. I love you; I love you all.

[Debby]

Aw, I see Alec is coming out of his shell...LOL....funny!!! :) :)

[blinc]

Well so much for the smart and quiet theory! {toothy} Just kidding w/ya Alec! Nice to see you can dish it right back out! *grin* hee hee!

[KatCo]

This one was written by Samuel Wilberforce (1805-73)

I have a large Box, with two lids, two caps, three established Measures, and a great number of articles a Carpenter cannot do without. - Then I have always by me a couple of good Fish, and a number of a smaller tribe, -besides two lofty Trees, fine Flowers, and the fruit of an indigenous Plant; a handsome Stag; two playful Animals; and a number of a smaller and less tame Herd: Also two Halls, or Places of Worship; some Weapons of warfare; and many Weathercocks:- The Steps of an Hotel; The House of Commons on the eve of a Dissolution; Two Students or Scholars, and some Spanish Grandees, to wait upon me.
All pronounce me a wonderful piece of Mechanism, but few have numbered up the strange medley of things which compose my whole.

What is the "whole"?

[blinc]

Geesh this is hard... although I get the feeling when we hear the answer it's gonna have us groaning!

This is a looooooong shot! A coat of arms?

[KatCo]

No, sorry Blinc:(

[Pamella]

The Bible?
The Church?
Religion?

[KatCo]

No, sorry Pamella:(

[blinc]

"I have a large Box, with two lids, two caps, three established Measures, and a great number of articles a Carpenter cannot do without."

Is this really a box? If so, Are the lids, caps and measures... engravings or carvings on the box? Are the carpenter articles inside the box?

"Then I have always by me a couple of good Fish" Is that like the Pices sign of two fish?

and a number of a smaller tribe, (don't have a guess)

"besides two lofty Trees, fine Flowers, and the fruit of an indigenous Plant; a handsome Stag; two playful Animals; and a number of a smaller and less tame Herd: (Are these engravings on the box?)

Also two Halls, or Places of Worship; some Weapons of warfare; and many Weathercocks:- The Steps of an Hotel;

The House of Commons on the eve of a Dissolution; (This is the main clue isn't it?)

Two Students or Scholars, and some Spanish Grandees, to wait upon me.
All pronounce me a wonderful piece of Mechanism, but few have numbered up the strange medley of things which compose my whole.

Is it a painting of some event by any chance?

Man this is a good riddle KatCo! :)

[KatCo]

Not even close, sorry Blinc. :(


I guess after months and months of nobody being able to answer this riddle that Lewis Carrol finally published it (the answer) back in 1866.

It really is an incredible one, especially when all the parts are put together and all the "parts" are explained.

If no-body gets close by tomorrow, I will give the answer and explain how all the "parts" fit.

[Pamella]

A book?
A mirror?
Alice in Wonderland?
I have nooooooo idea! ;)

*smile*
Mel :)

[blinc]

Is it a statue or monument by any chance?

A picnic basket?

[KatCo]

Nope, sorry Blinc and Pamella...

[loxodonta]

It somehow came upon me that maybe

*slowly backs away to be out of reach when the smoking heads turn her way*

the "whole" could be the human body???

I do not know human anatomy very well and thus cannot say about those latter parts of the riddle. But I thought
"a large Box, with two lids, two caps, three established Measures, and a great number of articles a Carpenter cannot do without"
could be chest/trunk, the eyelids, main bones of the skull(???), measurements (e.g. foot, ell/yard plus waist maybe), the carpenter stuff could at least be nails and teeth, there are atria, ventricles, pupils, iris, I am sure you know much more?!

... that's what I thought ...

But I really do not want to disturb ... I am gone already ...
*hurries out to leave the place to the worthies*

[Pamella]

*Takes her hat off to Loxodonta*

Wow... that's such a clever answer!
Seems to fit the riddle to me... Kat?

*smile*
Mel :)

[KatCo]

Wow, Loxadonta I am so impressed! You did it! Congratualations: Here's the list

A large box - The Chest
Two lids - The Eye lids
Two Caps - The Knee Caps
Three established Measures - The nails, hands, and feet.
A great number of articles a Carpenter cannot
do without - the nails
A couple of good Fish - The Soles of the feet.
A number of a smaller tribe - The Muscles (Mussels)
Two lofty Trees - The Palms (of the hands)
Fine Flowers - Two lips (Tulips), and Irises.
The fruit of an indigenous Plant - Hips
A handsome Stag - The Heart (Hart)
Two playful Animals - The Calves.
A number of a smaller and less tame Herd - The Hairs (Hares)
Two Halls, or Places of Worship - The Temples.
Some Wapons of Warfare - The Arms and Shoulder blades.
Manyh Wathercocks - The Veins (Vanes).
The Steps of an Hotel - Thee Instepss (Inn-steps)
The House of Commons on the eve of a Dissolution -
Eyes and Nose (Ayes and Noes)
Two Students or Scholars - The Pupils of the Eye
Some Spanish Grandees - The Tendons (Ten Dons)

[blinc]

{eek} Oh my goodness! Wow! Congratulations Loxodonta!! That's some brain you have over there, to have figured this riddle out. I'm duly impressed! :)

{mm}Woo Hoo! We've got another {einstein} in our midst! {mm}

[loxodonta]

{blush}

Thank you!

I did not know most of the words of the answer, but it definitely sounds cool. I will try and memorize some. One can always add to one's vocabulary, right?

{toothy}

[Debby]

Wow!!! I am really impressed!!! I took one look at that riddle and said, uh, no way....I wasn't even going to attempt it! So you did a great job!!!!!!!!! :)