The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Book of Riddles

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Title: The Book of Riddles

Author: Anonymous

Release date: June 30, 2011 [eBook #36571]
Most recently updated: January 7, 2021

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Larry B. Harrison, the Archives and Special
Collections, University Libraries, Ball State University,
the Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire,
Durham, New Hampshire and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF RIDDLES *** 


 


 


 




Book Cover





THE

BOOK OF RIDDLES.


 




Publisher's image



 


CONCORD:


JOHN F. BROWN.


1846.







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[Pg 3]


THE

BOOK OF RIDDLES.






Clock






'Tis true I have both face and hands,

And move before your eyes,

Yet when I go, my body stands,

And when I stand, I lie.


A Clock.








[Pg 4]




Mole




My clothing's fine as velvet rare,

Though under earth my dwellings are;

And when above it I appear,

My enemies put me oft in fear.

The gard'ner does at me repine,

I spoil his works as he does mine.


The Mole.






[Pg 5]




Watch




My form is beauteous to the ravish'd sight,

My habit gay, my color gold or white;

When ladies take the air, I without pride,

A faithful partner am close by their side.

I near their persons constantly remain,

A favorite slave, bound with a golden chain;

And though I can both speak and go alone,

Yet are my motions to myself unknown.


A Watch.






[Pg 6]




Rose




Emblem of youth and innocence

With walls enclosed for my defence,

And with no care opprest,

I boldly spread my charms around,

'Till some rude lover breaks the mound,

And takes me to his breast.

Here soon I sicken and decay:

My beauty lost, I'm turned away,

And thrown into the street;

Where I despised, neglected lie,

See no Samaritans pass by,

But numerous insults meet.


A Rose.






[Pg 7]




Scales




Two twins we are, and, let it not surprise,

Alike in every feature, shape, and size:

We're square, or round, of brass or iron made,

Sometimes of wood, yet useful found in trade;

But, to conclude, for all our daily pains,

We by the neck are often hung in chains.


A Pair of Scales.






[Pg 8]




A man with a scythe




I was before the world began,

And shall forever last;

Ere father Adam was a man,

Or out of Eden cast.

Your youthful moments I attend,

And mitigate your grief;

The industrious peasant I befriend,

To pris'ners give relief.

Make much of me if you are wise,

And use me while you may,

For you will lose me in a trice.

As I for no man stay.


Time.






[Pg 9]The ancients represented time by the
figure of a man, with broad wings, spread
out, as denoting its flight, or that time is
ever on the wing. In one hand he held
an hour-glass, to show that as the sand,
so our time is constantly running; and in
the other, a scythe, to let us know that
time, like the scythe, levels all. He is
represented with only one lock of hair
before, the remainder of his head being
bald, to show that we must take him by
the forelock, when it presents, lest when
it be past, we find our disappointment,
and as the back part of the head is bare,
so our time is no more.







It foams without anger,

It flies without wings,

It cuts without edge,

And without tongue it sings.


A Bottle of Ale.






[Pg 10]




Key




What force and strength cannot get through

I with a gentle touch can do;

And many in the streets would stand,

Were I not, as friend, at hand.


A Key.








What is that which has been to-morrow, and will be yesterday?




To-day.




[Pg 11]




Barrel




My habitation's in a wood,

And I'm at any one's command;

I often do more hurt than good,

If I once get the upper hand:

I never fear the champion's frown,

Stout things I oftentimes have done;

Brave soldiers I have oft laid down,

I never fear their sword and gun.


A Barrel of Beer.






[Pg 12]




Bellows




My nose is long, my back is broad and round,

And in cold weather of great use I'm found;

No load I carry, yet I puff and blow,

As much as heavy loaded porters do.


A Pair of Bellows.






[Pg 13]




Top




I never offend thee,

Yet thou dost me whip,

Which doth not amend me,

Though I dance and skip;

When I'm upright thou dost like me best,

And severely dost whip me when I want to rest.


A Top.






[Pg 14]




Squirrel




I'm a busy active creature,

Fashioned with a sportive nature,

I nimbly skip from tree to tree,

Under a well-wrought canopy;

And for cleanliness and air,

Am a pattern to the fair;

I, to arms and blood a stranger,

Apprehensive of no danger,

Like the ant, for winter store,

Searching, treasures to explore,

All on a sudden hear the foe,

The cause and object of my woe

By whom I'm soon a prisoner made

[Pg 15]
Chain'd, and in a dungeon laid:

Bid Chloe then, and Myra tell,

What's my name and where I dwell.


The Squirrel.








Drum




My body is light, my head is white,

With a cord I am laced around,

I am beaten with sticks, yet not for bad tricks,

But to animate my sound.

The unthinking youth, who heed not the truth

[Pg 16]
Which would save them from every alarm,

To fight, kill, and die, and cause much misery

To those who have done them no harm.


A Drum.








Hour-glass




Two bodies have I,

Though both joined in one

The stiller I stand,

The faster I run.


Hour-glass.








Back cover







Transcriber's Note