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riddles >> what am i >> My Familiar
(Message started by: raven on Apr 14th, 2004, 8:18pm)

Title: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 14th, 2004, 8:18pm
There’s a lot of unsolved riddles in the “What am I” section right now, so I’ve been holding off posting more of my own and have instead enjoyed trying to solve other people’s riddles for a while. But this one just needed to be posted… so here it is.



When well, I am dark and vital,
rich but never free.

When ill, I am pale and tired,
your bitter unheard plea.


“What am I?"
(traditional, not Raven style)





[smiley=infty.gif]                            
[smiley=frakcr.gif] [smiley=fraka.gif] [smiley=frakv.gif] [smiley=frake.gif] [smiley=frakn.gif]                        


Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Cathos on Apr 14th, 2004, 8:32pm
I think this may be something [hide]anatomical, perhaps blood or skin[/hide]

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 14th, 2004, 9:55pm
This one is still hot off the press so no hints yet... (not that my hints help much anyway) :-/

But I suggest you try some other avenues of thought.

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Speaker on Apr 15th, 2004, 12:52am
Just to put in my too sense...

How about a peel, you know like a banan-appeal. Wonk wonk


Sorry...Bananas are customarily pale when healthy and dark when ill, but um, erm, well, it's a free world, what are ya gonna do, sue me!

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 6:08am
IMHO bananas are better with a few freckles... but I don't love bananas so much that I would give them the title to this riddle

::)

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by John_Gaughan on Apr 15th, 2004, 6:19am
My first idea (heart) is not correct, from the hint. It sounds like the object is alive. If not a living thing, maybe something that was once living, like food?

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by evergreena3 on Apr 15th, 2004, 9:49am
My first instinct was to say [hide] blood [/hide], but I think Raven said to think of different avenue of thought...

hhhmmmm...

perhaps something different, yet no so different?
My guess is now [hide] hair [/hide].



EverGreenA3

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Icarus on Apr 15th, 2004, 3:48pm
I thought of a [hide]copier or printer. When well - in good working order with plenty of toner, you get dark, vital, printing. When toner is low, the print is pale and hard to see, making your words unheard.[/hide]

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 4:43pm
evergreena3 and Icarus
hair and printer toner both fit very well, I guess I have to give you a hint now, if you want it…

:: [hide]By my understanding, this would be Honore de Balzac's familiar too[/hide] ::  :D

You are getting warm in your general thinking, but the specifics are just a little off-track...


Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Speaker on Apr 15th, 2004, 5:42pm


                    JOE

:o



Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 6:39pm
Voilà!

The answer as follows...

  • "As soon as coffee is in your stomach, there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move...similes arise, the paper is covered. Coffee is your ally and writing ceases to be a struggle."
        ~Honoré de Balzac (1799-1859) a glimpse into his obsession with coffee.

  • "Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love."
       ~Charles Maurice de Talleyrand (1754-1838) speaking of the perfect cup of coffee.

  • "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
       ~Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) speaking of the imperfect cup of coffee.

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Speaker on Apr 15th, 2004, 6:43pm
Raven, you understood my answer right? Just checking.

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 8:31pm
Speaker,
If you weren't talking about a Cup O' Joe then I just gave away the answer before the riddle was solved...

:'(

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Speaker on Apr 15th, 2004, 8:40pm
That is exactly what I was talking about. But, I figured that if my answer was obscure enough, then others would not get it right away.

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Cathos on Apr 15th, 2004, 8:43pm
When you look in [hide]your reflection, you'll look pale if you're sick, and dark and vital when well.  I'm sure that's very familiar to you.[/hide]

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 8:44pm
Oops!  :-/

I'm still trying to learn not to give it away too fast, and also to not just give the answer, but to give a cryptic response for my answer, like you did here...

I guess that is what separates us Junior Members from you Uberpuzzlers, oh yeah, that and a thousand or so posts...  
;)

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by Cathos on Apr 15th, 2004, 8:52pm
Holy crap!   :o I swear that Icarus' answer was the last one posted when I responded to this riddle - I didn't see anything about this Joe business...

Perhaps a glitch in the board (or my brain)...

Title: Re: My Familiar
Post by raven on Apr 15th, 2004, 9:22pm
That happens a lot to me, I go to type in my 'oh-so-clever, italicized and smiley faced' answer and next I know I'm out of the loop. I've learned to refresh my browser a lot and have multiple windows open... and yes, I am obsessive at times.

:)



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