From: yuletide-riddles@usa.net Subject: Riddle Contest Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 12:12:02 -0600 Reply-To: yuletide-riddles@usa.net Newsgroups: rec.org.sca What is made longer and longer by desire and excitement, but grows shorter and shorter in the increasing winter chill? Why, your time left until... the Yuletide in York Anglo-Saxon ** RIDDLE CONTEST! ** (Email Deadline: DECEMBER 17, AS XXXII/AD 1997) Sweet Gentles, All and Some -- We here in the Barony of Carolingia (East) are throwing a Yuletide event -- a grand event, a marvellous event, with bountiful holiday cheer and mirth. What a shame, thought I, that the entire Knowne World can't all make it to our event. I'm sure our head cook could handle it. :) But then it occurred to me, that there was a way that the subjects of far-off realms and those other unfortunates who cannot attend could be with us in spirit, if not in flesh -- "virtually" if you will. So I am here to announce to you our (Knowne World) Anglo-Saxon Riddle Contest! Come all you scops and wits, and craft your finest riddles in the fashion of the Anglo-Saxons (details below), and if you cannot attend in person, email them to the contest, from where ever you are. We will have your riddle(s) presented at our revel, and if your riddle is acclaimed the best, we will endeavor to get some token of triumph to you. The article at the end of this message gives several examples of actual Anglo-Saxon riddles (and their answers :) and explains how they work. Instructions (1) Write a riddle. Riddles will not merely be judged on the merits of their construction alone -- they shall be judged on how they are presented -- aloud -- as well. Your emailed riddles will be assigned to those who wish to delight and divert their fellow revelers, yet have no riddles of their own. If you prefer, feel free to engage the services of a scop or bard or player or herald who will attend the event and present your riddle for you. (2) Judging will be wholly subjective. We will not be using points. It is a good guess that the more in a period style your riddle is, the better it will be received. While the riddle need not be in the historically appropriate poetic verse form (see below), if you pull that off, we will all be Extremely Impressed and Appreciative. Racy double entendres are extremely appropriate to this form, and will also be Greatly Appreciated. (3) Riddles must be original. Joint entries are fine. INCLUDE YOUR (SCA) NAME in your submission. Ideally, include instructions on how to *pronounce* your SCA name. After all, we can't immortalize you in story and song if we don't know how your name scans. :) (4) Send as many riddles as you like. If, somehow, this is vastly more popular than anticipated, we will take the first 50 riddles we get. (5) We reserve the right to just not use any riddle we don't like for any reason whatsoever. (6) Got all that? Good, now write up your riddle(s) and send them to: yuletide-riddles@usa.net Don't forget to include your SCA name (and pronounciation) and make sure your "reply-to" address is correct. AND INCLUDE THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE! (7) SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17th. Email your riddle(s) by then or we can't use them. The contest will be on Sat. Dec. 20th at the Yuletide in York event. We look forward to seeing the wit and craftiness of our fellow Scadians from around the Knowne World! If you have any questions, contact Tibicen at . If you *can* come to our event, we would be thrilled to have you -- contact the same address to request event information; the feast is filling fast, so do so ASAP. Those many who can't -- we'll drink to your health! Yours in service, Lady Tibicen Blackmane mka Vanessa Layne Carolingia, East =========================================================================== ** Anglo-Saxon Riddles ** For those who are not familiar with this art, Lady Aurylia has provided the following explication of Anglo-Saxon riddles. The Anglo-Saxon riddles are very detailed descriptions of common objects or animals; they are quite misleading, however, so it can be quite a challenge to identify the subject. They are usually written in the first person, in which the subject is either item being described ("I do not breathe while living, but only after I am slain; what am I?") or observing the item ("I see something that goes up a chimney down, but not down a chimney up; what is it?"). The riddles are written in Anglo-Saxon verse. Modern English does not adapt particularly well to the specifics of meter and sound of Old English poetry, but competitors are encouraged to emulate the form. Unlike modern poetry which usually employs rhyme as the primary structural element, Anglo-Saxon poetry relies upon alliteration (repetition of initial sounds in words) to hold the work together. Each line is divided into two half lines, each of which has two strong syllables; the first strong syllable in each half of a line must alliterate. (More alliteration can be used to enrich a particular line for effect, if the poet desires.) For example: the ringing of weapons rapped on stout shields The strong syllables are RING-, WEAP-, RAPPED, and SHIELDS. RING- and RAPPED both begin with the sound "R". Hence, the half-lines of each line are linked by common sounds. Connections between lines are not dictated by the Anglo-Saxon poetic form. Most lines in Anglo-Saxon poetry begin with a strong syllable. Modern English has evolved into a more iambic rhythm, so the judges will probably award extra artistry points for recreating this aspect of the style. The riddles do vary in length, although none are particularly long. Most run 10-20 lines; some are even shorter, and a very small number are longer. Here are a few examples of actual Anglo-Saxon riddles in translation (from _Anglo-Saxon Poetry_, translated and edited by S. A. J. Bradley, 1995, Everyman.): 1) I saw this creature of the weapon-equipped sort, greedy in the exuberance of his youth. As his due, his life-guardian set running four springs, white fountains, as his portion. A man spoke, who said to me: 'This creature, if he thrives, will break up the downs; if he goes to pieces, he will bind the living.' 2) I am a wondrous creature: to women a thing of joyful expectancy, to close-lying companions serviceable. I harm no city-dweller excepting my slayer alone. My stem is erect and tall -- I stand up in bed -- and whiskery somewhere down below. Sometimes a countryman's quite comely daughter will venture, bumptious girl, to get a grip on me. She assaults my red self and seizes my head and clenches me in a cramped place. She will soon feel the effect of her encounter with me, this curly-locked woman who squeezes me. Her eye will be wet. 3) I have heard of a something-or-other, growing in its nook, swelling and rising, pushing up its covering. Upon that boneless thing a cocky-minded young woman took a grip with her hands; with her apron a lord's daughter covered the tumescent thing. S p o i l e r S p a c e And the answers to the riddles are... 1) A bullock. From Bradley's notes: "The bullock is suckled by the cow. If it lives it will be yoked to the plough. If it dies and is butchered, the hide will be made into thongs." 2 and 3) Get your mind out of the gutter! The answers to these riddles are, repectively, an onion and bread rising. Such use of double entendre has been popular in English poetry and song for centuries; it is quite authentic.