[bonanova]

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

[Guest]

Did you really know the answer??

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

This riddle, supposedly written by the Bishop of Salisbury, dates back to 1849, where it was first published in a magazine, the publication of which has now been lost in the sands of time. It went for at least one hundred years before a satisfactory solution was offered to the enigma. Some of the early possible answers were "Air" and "The Letter K." However, the most commonly accepted solution nowadays is "Raven."

The raven croaks before a storm, which led to the belief in some ancient mythologies that the raven was the controller of it. Because of this, many civilizations worshipped the raven, explaining the kneeling of Kings. The raven was forbidden to the Jews as food (Lev 6:15) and it was the raven that was sent out by Noah to find dry land after the 40 days of flooding, leaving its mate alone in the Ark. There is a small South Carolina island named "Raven", which is known to be a mile long. R and N (the "first" and "last") stand for the Royal Navy, which are most certainly "the pride of the isle."

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

[bonanova]

Yup.

I have the same text you posted.

Maybe from the same website.

I think it's the only website that has it.

The other sites just show the riddle unanswered.

the letter K

[Nikyma]

Did you really know the answer??

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

This riddle, supposedly written by the Bishop of Salisbury, dates back to 1849, where it was first published in a magazine, the publication of which has now been lost in the sands of time. It went for at least one hundred years before a satisfactory solution was offered to the enigma. Some of the early possible answers were "Air" and "The Letter K." However, the most commonly accepted solution nowadays is "Raven."

The raven croaks before a storm, which led to the belief in some ancient mythologies that the raven was the controller of it. Because of this, many civilizations worshipped the raven, explaining the kneeling of Kings. The raven was forbidden to the Jews as food (Lev 6:15) and it was the raven that was sent out by Noah to find dry land after the 40 days of flooding, leaving its mate alone in the Ark. There is a small South Carolina island named "Raven", which is known to be a mile long. R and N (the "first" and "last") stand for the Royal Navy, which are most certainly "the pride of the isle."

Impressive, I had no idea.

[Guest]

my names pork to the jews

[Guest]

I'd like to see anyone try to explain "k" as the answer.

The answer given fits very well.

[bonanova]

I'd like to see anyone try to explain "k" as the answer.

The answer given fits very well.

Most often this riddle is shown as unsolved.

K was one of the attempts - see esp the 1st stanza.

Even the acknowledged answer is a stretch for some of the clues

[Guest]

Most often this riddle is shown as unsolved.

K was one of the attempts - see esp the 1st stanza.

Even the acknowledged answer is a stretch for some of the clues

Does it way 3 pound?

[Guest]

Was it not a dove that went out to find dry land for Noah? And who came back with an olive branch? That is the only flaw I can find in your solution.

[Guest]

rave is an awesome anwser, i liked the prok to the jews

[Guest]

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

This riddle, supposedly written by the Bishop of Salisbury, dates back to 1849, where it was first published in a magazine, the publication of which has now been lost in the sands of time. It went for at least one hundred years before a satisfactory solution was offered to the enigma. Some of the early possible answers were "Air" and "The Letter K." However, the most commonly accepted solution nowadays is "Raven."

The raven croaks before a storm, which led to the belief in some ancient mythologies that the raven was the controller of it. Because of this, many civilizations worshipped the raven, explaining the kneeling of Kings. The raven was forbidden to the Jews as food (Lev 6:15) and it was the raven that was sent out by Noah to find dry land after the 40 days of flooding, leaving its mate alone in the Ark. There is a small South Carolina island named "Raven", which is known to be a mile long. R and N (the "first" and "last") stand for the Royal Navy, which are most certainly "the pride of the isle."

I find much of this explanation a little thin, especially the last two lines. Why would an English bishop refer to an obscure island in South Carolina? I believe the original last line was: That my first and my last are the boast of our isle. There seems to be more than one version which makes it all the more difficult. Here is my take.

The answer is Koran (Quran) the muslim holy book. I think the Bishop was using the word for the book and a bird. The name of the bird, the Bustard, is Koran, from the South African dutch "Korhaan".

The Great Bustard of Europe and Asia is the largest flying bird in the world and spends most of its time on the ground and does not roost in trees. It was worshipped by the Kurds:

Quote:Yezidism is one of the three Kurdish religions commonly called the Cult of Angels. Malak Tawas or Lucifer as we know him was the first Archangel of the Great Creating Spirit or God as we know him. Malak Tawas was given dominion over earth. He is often represented as a great bird usually called a peacock but Izady speculates the bird is actually a great bustard.

Obviously the Koran is not the Christian's or the Jew's favourite book.

"I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark."

This is a cryptic anagram, noah and ark making up the alternitive spelling of koran, "korhaan"

I do not know if the original Koran scroll weighed 3 pounds or whether the words laid end to end would stretch a mile, but Great Britain (GB- Great Bustard) is the "boast" of the British Isles.

Baz

[Guest]

This riddle, supposedly written by the Bishop of Salisbury, dates back to 1849, where it was first published in a magazine, the publication of which has now been lost in the sands of time. It went for at least one hundred years before a satisfactory solution was offered to the enigma. Some of the early possible answers were "Air" and "The Letter K." However, the most commonly accepted solution nowadays is "Raven."

The raven croaks before a storm, which led to the belief in some ancient mythologies that the raven was the controller of it. Because of this, many civilizations worshipped the raven, explaining the kneeling of Kings. The raven was forbidden to the Jews as food (Lev 6:15) and it was the raven that was sent out by Noah to find dry land after the 40 days of flooding, leaving its mate alone in the Ark. There is a small South Carolina island named "Raven", which is known to be a mile long. R and N (the "first" and "last") stand for the Royal Navy, which are most certainly "the pride of the isle."

I find much of this explanation a little thin, especially the last two lines. Why would an English bishop refer to an obscure island in South Carolina? I believe the original last line was: That my first and my last are the boast of our isle. There seems to be more than one version which makes it all the more difficult. Here is my take.

The answer is Koran (Quran) the muslim holy book. I think the Bishop was using the word for the book and a bird. The name of the bird, the Bustard, is Koran, from the South African dutch "Korhaan".

The Great Bustard of Europe and Asia is the largest flying bird in the world and spends most of its time on the ground and does not roost in trees. It was worshipped by the Kurds:

Quote:Yezidism is one of the three Kurdish religions commonly called the Cult of Angels. Malak Tawas or Lucifer as we know him was the first Archangel of the Great Creating Spirit or God as we know him. Malak Tawas was given dominion over earth. He is often represented as a great bird usually called a peacock but Izady speculates the bird is actually a great bustard.

Obviously the Koran is not the Christian's or the Jew's favourite book.

"I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark."

This is a cryptic anagram, noah and ark making up the alternitive spelling of koran, "korhaan"

I do not know if the original Koran scroll weighed 3 pounds or whether the words laid end to end would stretch a mile, but Great Britain (GB- Great Bustard) is the "boast" of the British Isles.

Baz

Nice answer but try using spoilers

{spoiler= ____}text here{/spoiler}

Replace { with [

[Guest]

I sit stern on the rock while I'm raising the wind,

But the storm once abated I'm gentle and kind.

Kings sit at my feet who await but my nod

To kneel in the dust on the ground I have trod.

Though seen to the world, I am known to but few,

The Gentile detests me, I'm pork to the Jew.

I never have passed but one night in the dark

And that was with Noah alone in the Ark.

My weight is three pounds, my length is a mile,

And when once discovered, you'll say with a smile,

That my first and my last are the pride of the isle.

is it...

the kraken and/or a giant squid

[Guest]

Was it not a dove that went out to find dry land for Noah? And who came back with an olive branch? That is the only flaw I can find in your solution.

A raven was sent first. The raven was able to stay aloft long enough to wait until dry land had appeared, and thus did not return. The dove was then sent, and being unable to find dry land it returned when it became too tired to fly. The dove was sent out again and returned with an olive branch. When the dove was sent out a third time it did not return, implying that it had found dry land to rest on.

Gensis 8:6-12

[Guest]

Nice answer but try using spoilers

{spoiler= ____}text here{/spoiler}

Replace { with [

Reply

The answer is definitely a word with more than one meaning as it has to cover so many different phenomena. Three pounds sounds about right for a light scroll and as the Koran has 77,000 words, depending on the size of the words, 0.8 of an inch for each word plus gap, would add up to about a mile.

There is often another clue given: it is a word of one syllable. Although the American pronunciation is Kor-an the British is more like Cran. Listen to sound bite at.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Quran

[Prof. Templeton]

Reply

The answer is definitely a word with more than one meaning as it has to cover so many different phenomena. Three pounds sounds about right for a light scroll and as the Koran has 77,000 words, depending on the size of the words, 0.8 of an inch for each word plus gap, would add up to about a mile.

There is often another clue given: it is a word of one syllable. Although the American pronunciation is Kor-an the British is more like Cran. Listen to sound bite at.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Quran

Quran. First and last could be Q and N for Queen's Navy, the pride of the Isle.

[Guest]

Quran. First and last could be Q and N for Queen's Navy, the pride of the Isle.

Reply

Although the version given here has "pride of our isle" the first version I saw had "boast of our isle". I have seen 4 different words in the last line "boast", "best", "pride" and one more which now escapes me. Now, it is much more likely that "boast" was the original as it more easily gives rise to a mistaken "best" and then "pride". I can't see how thought processes can lead to "boast" from the other two words and to call your country great (Great Britain) is certainly a boast!

I am not satisfied with my GB from great bustard, but again the last line varies in the different versions, one starting: That THE first and THE last ...rather than "That My first and My last...." which completely changes the meaning.

I tried to find out whether the Quran starts with something like "GREAT is the name of Allah" and ends with something like "Allah is GREAT", but it seems not.

QN is not a known abbreviation and I have never seen it used or being able to find its usage anywhere.

Only when the original version can be found - it seems that it is lost for ever - will be riddle be open to solution, barring that, I (of course) find Quran (Koran, Korhaan) the most likely answer.