What is the oldest riddle?

Answer

The initial poster said, "This is a tough one, because anyone that would know that would be dead by now, unless they wrote it down.... Good question but this one needs lots of research."

Well, it WAS written down more that 3000 years ago! We can find it in the Bible, in the Book of Judges, in chapter 14. Starting at verse 12 we read,

"And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you.... Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."

"And they could not expound the riddle.... and they said unto Samson's wife (Delilah), Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house."

"And she wept before him the seven days.... and it came to pass.... that he told her.... and she told the riddle to the children of her people."

Ohhh, that witch, but then again her own people were going the burn her house down!

"And the men of the city said unto him.... What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?"

"And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle."

And that, I do believe, is the oldest riddle. Clocking in at 1050 BC.

As a final side point, what IS sweeter than honey? Well, in the nature world, quite frankly, NOTHING is sweeter than honey, even to this day. Amen.

* verses quoted here are from the non-copyrighted King James version of the Bible.

First answer by TRINABABE. Last edit by Kpkukla. Contributor trust: 3 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 14 [recommend question]