dreamcrystals | Flytting 1

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Flytting 1

Sender: Loki of Asgard
To: Everyone
Subject: Introduction and a Riddle

It seems a popular way to test and get used to this journal is to do a proper introduction. I am Loki of Asgard. As might be surmised, I am newly arrived--though I find this place intriguing and curious so far. I think I'll have fun here.

I could go on, but instead, I have a riddle for you all.

My head was forged / by hammer's hit,
pricked by a point / and polished by files.
What comes before me, / I frequently eat.
With rings adorned / I doth strike,
hard against hard, / a hole in my back.
Shoved forth / I shall defend
my master's money / amidst the night.
Sometimes I spin / my skull backwards,
when my lord wants me / - the warden of his wealth -
to hand him the treasures / of hundreds of heroes
he killed in battle / to capture their gold.

I look forward to hearing your answers.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Interesting, that the first idea should be a weapon. Should I analyze the answer more?

I don't know if analyzing it would be that interesting! Maybe not the whole riddle but a lot of it was making me think about how swords are made and people use swords to defend their important belongings. Depending on the sword they can be dressed up in all sorts of things, right?

Go on? You have me curious. A sword is not the answer, but I'm interested in your reasoning further.

[Not that anyone can see it, but Loki's grin has turned sly.]

Well if you think about it in the sword's point of view... though its not a sword I guess but if you think about it from its point of view, the one who wields it would be its master right?

Swoosh Swish! Defending the master's honor and protecting the master from anyone who might cause harm to the master, those are the sword's duties right?

Though I guess a sword's head doesn't spin, if it did it would probably be a broken sword.

Very interesting. Try thinking about the riddle now.

Hmm... so if it's not a sword... maybe a different weapon then? But what kind of weapon's head spins?!

Try broadening your ideas out some.

So it's not a weapon? What else could be forged but a weapon though? Man... riddles really don't make any sense. I bet the answer's going to be something completely silly like.

Candy drops or something!

Now why would candy drops be forged from iron? (That is NOT the answer by the way. And many other things were forged of iron in older times than just weapons.)

If other things could be made from iron, then why not candy drops? Maybe its what this riddle eats when its not protecting its master!

[ there was a small pause in replies. ]

Wait! Is it a helmet?

It is not a helmet. It is not an armament of any sort.

Seriously??

I think I'm completely stumped then.

Would you like an easier one? Though I don't find this one particularly challenging.

Yeah! Lay it on me! I bet this next one I'll get easy peasy!

Alone I wage war, / wounded by steel,
wounded by swords. / Weary of war,
weary of blades. / I battle often.
All I see / is savage fighting.
No assistance will come / for my cursed self,
ere I demise / amidst men.
But the enemy strikes me / with sharp edges:
smiths made those / with mighty hammers.
They batter me in cities. / I shall abide
the meeting of foes. / Among healers
I never met / in men's towns
those who with herbs / could heal my wounds.
But the wounds and cuts / become wider
through death-blows / day and night.

This one feels even more confusing than the last one... and makes me feel bad for the swords.

I'm sure your empathy is admirable. Break it down and think creatively about it.

I'm thinkin' I'm thinkin'! It's just not as obvious as you make it sound!

Think of it as me encouraging you. I know you can come up with the answer.

[What Loki wasn't going to add was that the other already HAD guessed close to the answer, but for a different riddle.]