[Belin]

It was actually a rather easy one:

I was a weapon, warrior. Now the young warrior
Covers me proudly With gold and silver
With twisted bow-wire. Sometimes the the men kissed me.
Sometimes, with a great cry I summoned to battle
Familiar companions; sometimes a horse bears
Me over a border; Sometimes a great ship
Fares across waters with bright ornaments;
Sometimes some tribes' jewel-adornments Fill my
Bosom. Sometimes I must lie dead
On the hard table, headless, despoiled;
Sometimes I hang on the wall, adorned
With beautiful jewels, there men drink
From the beautiful war-ornament. Once a warrior
Carried me on his horse, then I colored treasure
Must swallow from the wind of a certain person's bosom;
Sometimes with my voice I invite proud men
To wine; sometimes with my wrathful voice
I must save that which was stolen
And must put to flight the foe-sheath. I ask you what I'm called.

It's not an impossible riddle (although I will wait for a couple days before editing this post to include the answer, in case you want to guess), but it is a very long one. When Bilbo was about halfway through it, Gollum lost his patience and began paddling across the lake, at the sound of which Bilbo became very alarmed and moved straight on into the fish riddle.

Edit: Gah! For some reason I can't make spaces between the half-lines. You'll just have to pretend.

*Disclaimer: Lest people wonder, I didn't make this riddle up. It's an actual Old English riddle.
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What woke Turin from his trance?

--Belin Ibaimendi

Since Diamond18 has guessed the riddle correctly, I will answer it right now. It is indeed a horn--notice that it's a drinking horn as well as a musical instrument. Congratulations. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ November 11, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]