Riddles

The Tempest

Unit Eight- Fantasy Literature

Unit Nine- Poetry

General Information for Book Four

Riddles-

    Example of Riddles from the Books of Exeter-- See Teacher's Edition page 322

              The culminant lord of victories, Christ,

                    Created me for battle. Often I burn

                    Countless living creatures on middle-earth,

                    Treat them to terror though I touch them not,

                    When my lord rouses me to wage war.

                 Sometimes I lighten the minds of many,

                    Sometimes I comfort those I fought fiercely

                    Before. They feel this high blessing

                    As they felt that burning, when over the surge

                    And sorrow, I again grace their going.

OLD ENGLISH VERSION

                Mec gesette soð      sigora waldend

                        Crist to compe.     Oft ic cwice bærne,

                        unrimu cyn      eorþan getenge,

                        næte mid niþe,      swa ic him no hrine,

                        þonne mec min frea     feohtan hateþ.

                Hwilum ic monigra      mod arete, 

                        hwilum ic frefre     þa ic ær winne on

                        feorran swiþe--     hi þæs felað þeah,

                        swylce þæs oþres,     þonne ic eft hyra

                        ofer deop gedreag      drohtað bete.

SOLUTION:

 THE SUN

The Book of Exeter Texts and Translations-Contains each of the riddles in Old English and modern translation. Also contains a page of probable solutions.

Old English version of The Book of Exeter - Contains most of the poems in the Book of Exeter in the Old English form.

Riddle Poems and How to make them- An excellent resource for teachers looking for a way to help students create their own riddle poems. Brings on in Tolkien connection. Not recommended for students as it does make reference to one of the Exeter riddles with a double (more sensual) meaning.

The Tempest-- Notes on the Tempest-- See Teacher's Edition page 331

Tales from Shakespeare-- The Charles and Mary Lamb classic prose retelling of some of Shakespeare's most beloved plays. Retold for young people. This resource contains the stories of all the Shakespearian plays mentioned in this curriculum. An inexpensive versions is available in the Homescholar Books Book Catalog . Look under Suggested Resources for the LOTR study.

Shakespeare's The Tempest-- Here you can find the complete text of the play. A low cost print version is also available in the Book Catalog. Look under suggested resources for the LOTR study.

Recommended film version is the BBC version directed by John Gorrie if you can find it available.

LINKS FOR UNIT STUDY EIGHT- Exploring Genre-- Fantasy as Literature
 

Refracted Light-- A Christian Perspective on Fantasy- I have not read all the reviews on this site, but the ones I have read seem quite good. This is a great site to explore other fantasy works that may be suitable for you or your students. All the works reviewed are not necessarily recommended, but you will get a good idea of what the stories involve. As always, use your own judgment and discretion about the reading material you choose.

"On Fairy Stories" by J.R.R. Tolkien. This original essay by Tolkien is the best work to define the history and impact of fantasy. We discuss a good bit of this in the fantasy unit, but for those who are serious about fantasy (or literature) and want to read the whole thing, you can find it in The Tolkien Reader, which we sell in our book catalog. Caution: it is not an easy read, though full of golden nuggets.

"On Three Ways of Writing for Children" by C.S. Lewis. This excellent essay is shorter and easier to read and defines Lewis's approach to fantasy literature. He confesses that he owes much of his approach to Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories," which he calls the best work on the subject. The best place to find this essay is in the hardcover version of The Chronicles of Narnia, which is available in our book catalog.

Check out our Fantasy Bookshelf with more recommended fantasy selections.

The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets by Suzanne U. Clark. Available in our Book Catalog. For more information about this book, check out our Writing Resources.