Riddles in the Dark: Let's Have a Game of Riddles

"Let's have a game of riddles. Just you and me." - Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Mae Govannen, everyone! Perhaps you have read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and can thus remember the chapter “Riddles in the Dark,” where Bilbo plays a riddle game with Gollum in the dark of Gollum's lair, deep within the Misty Mountains. That chapter was always a personal favorite of mine, and the riddles were amazingly hard to guess, evidencing Tolkien's immense and wonderful wit and poetic charm. Some of the riddles each of them gave to the other are as follows:

What has roots as nobody sees,
Is taller than trees,
Up, up it goes,
 And yet never grows? 

Thirty white horses on a red hill,
First they champ,
Then they stamp,
Then they stand still. 

Voiceless it cries,
Wingless flutters,
Toothless bites,
Mouthless mutters. 

I was quite entertained when I read this chapter, because Bilbo and Gollum weren't the only ones wondering what the answer to their respective riddles were! Anyhow, I decided that today, I would start a riddle game (it's very fun, I can assure you!). I call it “Riddles in the Dark” (except you needn't play it in the dark!) hence the name of this blog post series. I wrote three riddles last night, all three of which I revised this morning. Your job in this game is to guess the answers to the riddles (whether they be mine or Tolkien's) by commenting below. Also, you are welcome to give me riddles to answer, or tell me what you think of my riddles, e.g., whether they need revision, don't rhyme well, or are too ambiguous and can mean many things, etc. 

      Here are the riddles to the game: 

I am large and wide, dark and vast, warm and cold, 

Many things within me do I hide and hold.

My voice is terrible, loud with might;

Upon me twinkles and shines the light.

I move unceasingly night and day, 

While carrying many things near and far away.

When darkness comes, I hide away,

Never to return till day.

In a predetermined course I travel, throughout both day and night,

Chasing the darkness far away, bringing both joy and light.

I am small and frail, yellow, green, and white. 

I dance in the wind and smile in the light.

I come with laughing Summer at Spring's wane, 

And live in the fields or by the lane. 

I hope to do this occasionally (i.e., whenever I come up with three riddles to give you),  and therefore, you can look forward to more Riddle Games in the future! I hope you enjoy the game, and Happy Riddling!

- J.S.

P.S. I will post comment-answers by May 13th, 2018 (tomorrow).