A riddle from an old folklore collection, traced to Kirksville, Missouri, around the turn of the 20th century: “Within a fountain crystal clear / A golden apple doth appear / No doors or locks to this stronghold / Yet thieves break in and steal the gold.” Its bright little image is close kin to one of the riddles in The Hobbit, with treasure hidden inside a locked-looking place. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “A “Golden Apple” Riddle About a “Fountain Crystal Clear””
Here’s a riddle from an old folklore collection I was going through.
Actually, this riddle was taken from Kirksville, Missouri. Do you know where it is?
Yeah, sure. I’m in northeast Missouri.
All right. This was at the turn of the last century. See if you can guess the answer, since you’re from Missouri.
Okay.
Within a fountain crystal clear, a golden apple doth appear. No doors or locks to this stronghold, yet thieves break in and steal the gold.
An egg?
Yes, an egg. It’s very much like one of the riddles in The Hobbit.
Oh, is it?
Yeah, lock and key. It’s gold inside.
I don’t even remember how it goes, but yeah.
Oh, and it’s an egg?
Yeah, the answer’s an egg, yeah.
Oh.
Sorry.
Yeah.
Huh.
Okay.
No, that’s good. It’s a pretty poem, right?
Yeah, pretty poem. Solid riddle, yeah.
Share your riddles with us. You don’t even have to give us the answers. We’ll try to figure it out, 877-929-9673, or email words@waywordradio.org.
