Riddles in the Downs

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

I have a feeling that the descriptions are based on the elvish names.

Okay I really like this but it is very wrong.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I get the sense that there are supposed to be 6 of this type of thing, so that naming 5 will lead to the 6th by process of elimination. But there aren't any groups of 6.

This is also wrong: there are five. Or four. Or, arguably, 16/17, but we're not doing that.

Originally Posted by Urwen

To follow up on that -

One is ancient, ever-new - Vana?
One lurks deep in shadow black - Melkor?
One came from stone and stone followed - Aule?
One rides high but falls swift - Orome?
One lies low amid the loam - Ulmo?

Again, I LOVE this but it's wildly off-track. I'm only quoting it because I want to note that "loam" here is a word for soil, not a typo for "foam".

hS

[Urwen]

I've got nothing, then.

I have had passing thoughts about Durins and Houses of Gondolin, but both lead nowhere.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

I've got nothing, then.

I have had passing thoughts about Durins and Houses of Gondolin, but both lead nowhere.

Still a long way off track.

Like the last few, this is a specific passage - actually a specific poem. Even more specifically, it's the opening of a poem we never hear in full.

hS

[Urwen]

Well, that poem might not be online, but this one does come close.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Well, that poem might not be online, but this one does come close.

Interesting; does it fit, and can you answer the question?

hS

[Urwen]

One is ancient, ever-new - Eldest of all, the elf-children
One lurks deep in shadow black - Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses
One came from stone and stone followed - Ent the earthborn, old as mountains
One rides high but falls swift - Man the mortal, master of horses
One lies low amid the loam - Half-grown hobbits, the hole-dwellers
But which am I? - Well, both singers are described by the third and fifth line, so it's a toss-up.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

One is ancient, ever-new - Eldest of all, the elf-children
One lurks deep in shadow black - Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses
One came from stone and stone followed - Ent the earthborn, old as mountains
One rides high but falls swift - Man the mortal, master of horses
One lies low amid the loam - Half-grown hobbits, the hole-dwellers
But which am I? - Well, both singers are described by the third and fifth line, so it's a toss-up.

That is entirely correct. Either the third or the fifth would be the right answer. Over to you!

hS