Riddle-game

The Riddle-game was an ancient game played by Bilbo Baggins and Gollum in Gollum's cave, whereupon they struggled for dominance against one another, as recounted in the fifth chapter of The Hobbit.

Having found the One Ring beforehand in the cave, Bilbo won the game by asking Gollum what he had in his pocket. The opinions of the Authorities differ on this issue, whether or not Bilbo's question was a riddle-but they all agreed upon the fact that Gollum had accepted the question as a riddle, and was now obliged to give an answer or lose the game. Gollum, of course, did not know, and frustratedly pardoned himself to his island home. Bilbo then escaped using the One Ring's property of invisibility, and would rejoin Thorin and Company at the eastern foot of the mountains.

The riddles

Riddle 1 (Gollum):

Answer: a Mountain

Riddle 2 (Bilbo):

Answer: Teeth

Riddle 3 (Gollum):

Answer: Wind

Riddle 4 (Bilbo):

Answer: Sun on the daisies

Riddle 5 (Gollum):

Answer: Darkness

Riddle 6 (Bilbo):

Answer: Egg

Riddle 7 (Gollum):

Answer: Fish

Riddle 8 (Bilbo):

Answer: Fish on a little one-legged table, man at table sitting on a three-legged stool, the cat gets the bones

Riddle 9 (Gollum):

Answer: Time

Riddle 10 (Bilbo):

Answer: The One Ring of Power

Translations

References