Riddles...

Who says that it is "we" that try to get anything from a starfish? The riddle says:

If I fail in that they are stronger than I,
And wrenching me loose, soon put me to rout.
They wish to capture what I must keep.
I can master them both if my grip holds out,

Maybe that means other things that eat starfish.

 

Very possibly true. Another geuss, though rather far-fetched, an eel.

EDIT: Scratch that, unless It's right of course.

 

Starfish pry open oysters and other shellfish. so one of them should be the answer, shoudn't it?

 

A boat anchor?

 

Anchor is the correct answer for this one. New one:

A lonely wanderer, wounded with iron, I am smitten with war-blades, sated with strife,
Worn with the sword-edge; I have seen many battles, Much hazardous fighting, oft without hope
Of comforts or help in the carnage of war Ere I perish and fall in the fighting of men.
The leavings of hammers, the handiwork of smiths, Batter and bite me, hard-eged and sharp;
The brunt of the battle I am doomed to endure. In all the folk-stead no leech could I find
With wort or simple to heal my wounds; But day and night with the deadly blows
The marks of the war-blades double and deepen.

 

Is it a shield, or is that too obvious?

(well done, Dennis! that was a hard one)

 

Yes it is a shield, new one then:

Time was when I was weapon and warrior; Now the young hero hoods me with gold,
and twisted silver. At times men kiss me. At times I speak and summon to battle
Loyal companions. At times a courser, Bears me o'er marchland. At times a ship
Bears me o'er the billows, brightly adorned. At times a fair maiden fills me with breath;
At times hard and headless I lie on the board, Bereft of beauty. At times I hang
Winsome on wall, richly embellished, Where revelers drink. At times a warrior
Bears me on a horse, a battle adornment, And I swallow, bright-shining, the breath from his bosom.
At times with my strains I summon the heroes, Proudly to wine. At times I win back
Spoil from the spoiler, with sounding voice, Put foemen to flight. Now ask what I'm called.

 

Are you called a battle-horn?

P.S. your riddles are getting longer! And is Riddle Master still in?

 

I'm still in.

"This thing all things devours;
birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
gnaws iron, bites steel;
grinds hard stones to meal;
slays king, ruins town,
and beats high mountain down.
What is it?"

 

It is time, dear lad. Time.

 

I've narrowed it down to time or a big nail file.

 

Time it is. Next:

"A box without hinges, key or lid,
yet golden treasure inside is hid."

 

Eggses, as Gollum would/did say.

 

Horn it is, next is short one:

I have a head like a cat.
I have feet like at cat.
But I am not a cat.
What am I?

 

Bubastis, an Ancient Egyptian goddess (daughter of Isis)?

 

*gains 4000 experience points*

A Sphinx?

 

Eggses... Next one:

"It cannot be seen,
it cannot be felt,
it cannot be heard,
it cannot be smelt.
It comes first and follows after,
ends life, kills laughter."

 

silence?

 

Someone pulling a funny face behind your back when you're trying to tell a joke?

 

Nope

Nope, and if memory serves sphinx has cats body and humans head/face.