Riddle Me Thus
Without a deeper understanding of the alien’s physiology you feel it best to avoid resting the fate of the planet on a test of might. Certain of your ability to outsmart the invader, based on an extensive understanding of earth-lore and a love of fantasy novels, you proclaim: “Clut, I’ve decided the battle for earth will be one of wits. I challenge you to a riddle contest.”
“Very well Earthling, as I understand such things, the first participant to incorrectly answer a riddle will lose the contest. Therefore, if you win I will depart Earth forever, erasing any trace of my visit. If I win, your entire planet will become a playground for my people and we will feast upon your young.”
“That is correct,” you say, gulping nervously.
“Acceptable!” agrees Clut, “I suggest, as you are inferior to me in every way, that you proceed as the primary riddle conveyor. In this fashion I may make a mockery of your puny brain, in addition to enslaving your planet, bringing me even greater joy”
If being human has taught you anything, it’s that overconfidence always spells disaster – even for an extremely advanced alien race. Emboldened by this, you wrack your memory for a riddle clever enough to stump an evil alien genius. Finally, you dredge up the most devious riddle you can recall: “Why is six afraid of seven?”
Without pause Clut answers, “That riddle is a play on words that you humans call a pun. With so much at stake, I am surprised you chose such a base and obvious question. The answer is: Because seven ate nine. Now it is my turn to ask, and I will not delay further because this contest bores me. When I get bored I tend to eat, and to eat I need to win. Please answer the following: What orbits round the moon K’plth, ‘neath field o verdant Shah’speckteth, by night grows dim as a Z’gonhettwerket?”
Years later, in your allotted rest period between shifts as baby-chef to the aliens, you still wish you had thought harder about challenging an intergalactic life-form to a battle of wits, and look forward to a day when you may visit the many moons on K’plth.
START AT THE BEGINNING – CLICK HERE