The Riddle Monster 🍁

Two girls go for a walk in the woods...and meet an unusual creature who wants them to...answer riddles? For fun? Maybe you can help solve its puzzles? 

Riddles and leaves abound in this fun story of "The Riddle Monster"!

New intro

Transcript

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♪ Foggy Oak Farm♪Foggy Oak Farm ♪♪ Come on down to ♪♪ Foggy Oak Farm! ♪- Hi friends. Welcome to Foggy Oak Fairy Tales. Each week, we'll bring you a new story. Some weeks, we'll share a story based on what's been happening on our real-life Foggy Oak Farm, where we have all sorts of animals and adventures. Other weeks, we'll use our imaginations and create new adventures, together. I'm so glad you're here. This week, we have the story of the Riddle Monster. Two girls go for a walk in the woods and meet an unusual creature who wants them to answer riddles for fun. Maybe you can help them solve its puzzles. Once upon a time, Two girls went for a walk in the woods. As they walked along, they laughed and talked about their week at school and were generally having a marvelous time. But as they got deeper into the woods, it began to feel a naturally still and quiet. No birds sang in the leafless winter trees. No squirrels ran across their path. All they heard was the quiet whispering of wind through the branches of the trees. As they continued along, the whispering wind suddenly turned into a rushing, whooshing force, pushing along their backs and propelling them forward along the trail. The whooshing sweeping wind also gathered the leaves that had fallen in the autumn and pushed them along as well. Gradually, the leaves congregated in a giant pile and the wind slowly died down. I've never seen that before. One of the girls said to the other, I wonder if we should turn back the other replied, but it was too late. Before them, the pile grew and grew. As the wind again began swirling about it, adding more leaves. As the pile grew, it began to resemble nothing so much as a monster composed entirely of leaves. The pile came almost halfway up the trees surrounding it with vague, long, lump-like forms that seem to resemble arms and little pits framed by the ridge of leafy eyebrows and an opening in the leaves that looked strikingly like a mouth. Oh, I really don't like this. The first girl said, the second girl agreed and they both turned to try to run away in the other direction on the path. Imagine their surprise when, as they rushed, barely looking in front of them, they almost ran into the same giant pile of leaves in the middle of their path. What's happening? The second girl exclaimed, they turned to run in the other direction again. But just as before, the giant pile was suddenly in front of them again. They halted unsure of what to do. As they stopped, the pile of leaves began to move in earnest. The arm-like leaf lump raised above the pile and began waving about and that shape of a mouth that they had seen began to speak. Yarr, I-B, the riddle monster and if covered in leaves, you wish not to be answer me these riddles three. The pile said to the girls. You're a what? The first girl asked, a riddle monster is what I-B. Now and serve me these questions three. The pile of leaves replied, the girls looked at each other. This was certainly not something they had run into in the forest before. Well, the second girl said, I guess we see what riddle it has to ask us. They turned back to the riddle monster. All right, riddle monster, ask us your questions. The first girl said, bravely, the monster leaned forward slightly and smiled in excitement. What goes up? But does not come down answer me lest ye-make me frown? The pile of leaves that was the riddle monster stated. Hmm. What goes up? It doesn't come down. Could it be something like a balloon? The second girl whispered to the first girl? Well, a balloon does eventually come down when it runs out of helium. I don't think that's it. The first girl whispered back. What about a bird? No. The second girl said, a bird does land to eat eventually. Maybe we're thinking about this too literally. Like, maybe it's not an animal or an object. What else goes up but doesn't come down? Well, the first girl said, I just turned nine and every time I have a birthday, I get older, I never get younger. Do you think it could be age? Oh! The second girl replied,"Yes, I think that's it. Let's try." From nearby, the monster called,"Do you know the answer now? Tell me soon or leave will fall." Yes, Riddle Monster, the first girl said,"The answer or at least one answer is your age." The monster looked surprised. Leaves swirled all about the forest as the monster widened its eyes and smiled."Very well," it said."The first answer you have guessed. But let's see if you can guess the rest." But why? The second girl asked,"Why do you need us to answer your questions? Why will you cover us in leaves if we don't?" It's fun for me and should be for you."And so are this now and don't be rude," the monster responded. Before the monster could give the riddle, the second girl muttered,"I think it's rude to show up and keep us hostage in the forest, threatening to cover us in leaves if we don't answer weird riddles." The monster raised one leafy eyebrow at this speech. Then, surprising them both, it winked and began to recite the next riddle."I am tall when I am young and I am short when I am old.""What am I?""I ask of you.""Take a guess and be bold." Well, it wouldn't make sense for the answer to be a person or most kinds of animals, because you don't start tall and end short. The first girl said,"I think it must be something you use that changes as it's being used, because there are just too many creatures in the world that this doesn't fit." Hmm. The second girl said,"Something you use. Well, I use a pencil. A pencil is tall when it's young and when you haven't used it yet. And it's short when it's old. Do you think it could be a pencil?""Oh!" Said the first girl."I like that. Let's try that." So, the second girl turned back to the riddle monster. All right, riddle monster, you are a pencil. You are tall when you're young and short when you're old. After people have sharpened you and used a lot of you away. The monster seemed pleased. Yar covered in leaves, you too shall be. That is not the answer to give to me. Leaves suddenly started swirling about madly as if they were about to charge the girls and cover them with leaves."Hey, wait hear a minute!" The second girl said,"Our answer is true. A pencil is tall when it's young and short when it's old. Maybe there's more than one answer to your riddle, riddle monster. All of a sudden, the leaves stopped swirling and fell to the ground. A look of confusion came across the monster's face. By totally one answer do I know. Who do you think you are to tell me so? Just because you've only ever done something one way doesn't mean that's the only way to do it. The first girl said,"What did you think the answer was supposed to be anyway?" A candle is the answer and nothing more. A pencil's not one I've heard before. The second girl smiled at the riddle monster. But a pencil is just as true you must admit, be a good sport. Don't throw a fit. And the girls laughed together at turning the riddle monster's own rhyming language back on him."Very well, you've got me there. But I decree where moving on to question three!" The monster growled."What has its own head?" and it's a own tale too."But nobody there, I ask of you." What the riddle monster did not know was that both girls were avid collectors of precisely the item the monster described. The girls grinned at each other and the first girl reached into her pocket. Slowly producing something small, circular, and silver. That one, she said, "We certainly know. The answer is a coin. A coin has a head, a tail, and no body."- YUR!- Exclaimed the monster. Against all odds you've beaten me, so now I'll give some luck to thee. One of the monsters leaf arms extended, and count in the monsters hand were two beautifully carved acorns. Good fortune will these bring to ye for answering my questions three, the monster explained."Well done to thee and soon we'll see!""If again you'll have a win from me." You know, Riddle Monster, the second girl said,"This was actually kind of fun. It started a little bit scary, but I've enjoyed myself." Me too, said the first girl. Hey, Riddle Monster, what exactly is it like to be covered in leaves? What would happen if we lost? A pile of leaves I dump on thee. I said this before, did you not listen to me? The monster said,"Well we didn't exactly know with that meant. After all we'd never even met you before. We didn't know Riddle Monster existed!" The second girl said,"And now that I'm not scared, I like being covered in leaves and jumping in them. Both girls nodded at the monster. Better go and close your eyes, and I'll give you this big surprise the Riddle Monster responded. The girls smiled and closed their eyes. They heard a rushing noise of rustling leaves begin to swirl around them. A slow, flurry of leaves began to fall all around them and on their heads. After a few seconds, they opened their eyes and saw that they were waste deep in beautiful, crinkly fall leaves. The exact kind that are perfect for jumping into. Both girls exclaimed into light and began jumping around in the giant pile of leaves. This is pretty great. The second girl said to the Riddle Monster. I love my acorn, but I wouldn't mind losing next time either. Same time next week. The first girl asked the Riddle Monster. The monster looked pleased. It smiled a leafy smile and replied,"Certainly, next week we'll see. If once again you can beat me, it's glad I am to know you too. This game keeps me from being blue." The monster rose up and made what looked like a bow to the two girls before the mysterious breeze came and seemed to slowly blow the monster away until nothing was left but a pile of leaves. Well, the first girl said,"This wasn't how I planned for our afternoon to go, but I guess we have a new friend now. They both laughed and went back to playing in the perfect fall leaves. It was one of many enjoyable hours they would spend going over riddles in the special wood with their new friend, the Riddle Monster. The end. Remember, your part of the story, too. What did you think of this story? What did you imagine when you were listening? We'd love to hear your part of the story. If you and your grown-up want, you can share your thoughts or a picture you drew with our foggy oak podcast family. You might find it easiest to share with us on Facebook at foggy oak farm, but we have lots of options on our website foggy oak fairytales.com. You can also check out pictures from the farm and learn more about us. Thanks for being part of the story, and I hope you'll join us next week.(upbeat music)