Riddles are solved all over the world. There are riddles from Mongolia, Finland, China, Russia, Africa, Persia, India, Hungary, Scandinavia and The Philippines. The Ancient Egyptians, the Ancient Greeks and the American Indians all admired riddle solvers. Riddles have been around since before recorded history. In certain cultures, they had been one of the ways folklore was handed from one generation to the next.
Based on Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked passing travellers a riddle. In case they could not answer, they will die.
"What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on 3 legs in the evening?"
When Oedipus gave the correct answer, male, the Sphinx destroyed herself.
The Ancient Greeks thought highly of riddles as they were meant to demonstrate the intelligence of a male. Homer, who posted the story of Oedipus, was believed to have died indirectly due to a riddle he was not able to solve.
"What we caught we threw away. What we didn't catch, we kept."
The answer is Lice.
There's the riddle Samson uses to outwit the Philistines, in the Bible.
"Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet."
The solution was that Samson had taken honey from a hive that had been created in the carcass of a lion.
In the Middle Ages, street entertainers lived by asking riddles. If they could possibly come up with an interesting riddle, they could entice travellers to pay them.
In Africa, riddles were previously used as a rite of passage for people that are young. Sometimes today, they're used as a non-violent form of competitive game.
In Fiji, they once held the champions and riddle tournaments will have a feast held in the honour of theirs.
This riddle was said to be a favourite of Theodore Roosevelt.
I talk, but I do not speak my mind.
I take note of words, but I don't listen to thoughts.
When I wake, all see me.
When I sleep, all hear me.
Many heads are on the shoulders of mine.
Many hands are at my feet.
The strongest steel can't break the visage of mine.
But, the softest whisper can destroy me.
The solution is an actor.
Riddles remain widely used today although getting the proper answer is not a question of life or death, as it was in old times.
Based on Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked passing travellers a riddle. In case they could not answer, they will die.
"What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on 3 legs in the evening?"
When Oedipus gave the correct answer, male, the Sphinx destroyed herself.
The Ancient Greeks thought highly of riddles as they were meant to demonstrate the intelligence of a male. Homer, who posted the story of Oedipus, was believed to have died indirectly due to a riddle he was not able to solve.
"What we caught we threw away. What we didn't catch, we kept."
The answer is Lice.
There's the riddle Samson uses to outwit the Philistines, in the Bible.
"Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet."
The solution was that Samson had taken honey from a hive that had been created in the carcass of a lion.
In the Middle Ages, street entertainers lived by asking riddles. If they could possibly come up with an interesting riddle, they could entice travellers to pay them.
In Africa, riddles were previously used as a rite of passage for people that are young. Sometimes today, they're used as a non-violent form of competitive game.
In Fiji, they once held the champions and riddle tournaments will have a feast held in the honour of theirs.
This riddle was said to be a favourite of Theodore Roosevelt.
I talk, but I do not speak my mind.
I take note of words, but I don't listen to thoughts.
When I wake, all see me.
When I sleep, all hear me.
Many heads are on the shoulders of mine.
Many hands are at my feet.
The strongest steel can't break the visage of mine.
But, the softest whisper can destroy me.
The solution is an actor.
Riddles remain widely used today although getting the proper answer is not a question of life or death, as it was in old times.
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