# Unsolved Riddle from 1873 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530 "2013-04-12T18:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/1 "2013-04-12T18:36:39Z")
So I am a frequent reader of [Futility Closet](http://www.futilitycloset.com/) as it often has some great math and logic puzzles, but today’s [post](http://www.futilitycloset.com/2013/04/12/parting-shot/) has got me curious, can the Straight Dope community solve it? As it is from 1873, I will presume that the copyright is long expired so I will post the riddle here: > [@](#): > > **Bishop Samuel Wilberforce** > I’m the sweetest of sounds in Orchestra heard, > Yet in Orchestra never was seen. > I’m a bird of gay plumage, yet less like a bird, > Nothing ever in Nature was seen. > Touch the earth I expire, in water I die, > In air I lose breath, yet can swim and can fly; > Darkness destroys me, and light is my death, > And I only keep going by holding my breath. > If my name can’t be guessed by a boy or a man, > By a woman or girl it certainly can. The solution not being visual but being easier for a woman to get the solution is truly stumping me. I’m thinking aether or phlogiston or something similar except for the man vs. woman comment at the end. So any thoughts by the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/2 "2013-04-12T18:49:57Z")
That’s a _whale_ of a riddle. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/3 "2013-04-12T18:55:20Z")
> [@core\_dump](#): > > That’s a _whale_ of a riddle. Yes. And the woman being able to guess is because of whale bone corsets. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/4 "2013-04-12T18:56:01Z")
Darkness destroys me, and light is my death? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/5 "2013-04-12T18:56:15Z")
My WAG – bagpipes. No? ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/6 "2013-04-12T19:01:07Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Darkness destroys me, and light is my death? Dead whale = whale oil = light. ‘Darkness destroys me’ is reaching, but hey it fits. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/7 "2013-04-12T19:14:59Z")
It’s fairly long to do cut and paste under fair use, but post 8 here: > **[The AnswerBank - post questions and answers, and discuss topics of interest.](https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puzzles/Riddles/Question1135925.html)** > > Ask a question and get real answers from real people on The AnswerBank, a questions and answers site. Find crossword answers, ask questions and discuss the latest headlines. makes a decent case for “whale” not sure I buy it, but it’s better than what I can come up with so far ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/8 "2013-04-12T19:16:18Z")
Also note there are several versions of this poem floating around - may 95% similar, but some differences ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/9 "2013-04-12T19:23:23Z")
Closest I came up with is “bubble”, which is okay for: I’m a bird of gay plumage, yet less like a bird, Nothing ever in Nature was seen. Touch the earth I expire, in water I die, In air I lose breath, yet can swim and can fly; and And I only keep going by holding my breath. but not so much for the others. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/10 "2013-04-12T19:25:02Z")
Whales can fly? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/11 "2013-04-12T19:27:08Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Whales can fly? > > Regards, > Shodan from the link I posted: > [@](#): > > I fly through the air in great leaps from the sea, > And swimming, of course, just comes natural to me. > An air breathing mammal, my breathing must cease, > Whenever I dive to find krill for my feast. You should read it - I think I undersold it above ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/12 "2013-04-12T19:27:18Z")
> [@core\_dump](#): > > Dead whale = whale oil = light. ‘Darkness destroys me’ is reaching, but hey it fits. I can live with that. **Shodan** , they breach, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/13 "2013-04-12T19:56:52Z")
Whales don’t die in water, either - they live there. _:shrug:_ I like “what have I got in my pocket” better. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/14 "2013-04-12T20:01:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Whales don’t die in water, either - they live there. Eventually, they die. ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/15 "2013-04-12T20:03:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Whales don’t die in water, either - they live there. If a non-beaching whale never leaves the water, where _else_ is it going to die? > [@Shodan](#): > > I like “what have I got in my pocket” better. Is that the game where your uncle makes you feel around in his pocket and you try to guess what’s in there? I can’t say I liked that game much. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/16 "2013-04-12T20:07:13Z")
Interesting. I like how the date of the poem really is required for many of the clues- so my phlogiston wasn’t too far off 😉 But Prof. Pepperwinkle’s bubble is a great take on it (the only thing that I can’t get to fit is the orchestra clue). Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/17 "2013-04-12T20:44:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I like “what have I got in my pocket” better. > > Regards, > Shodan Is that a whale in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/18 "2013-04-12T20:46:27Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Is that a whale in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? It must give us three guesses. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/19 "2013-04-12T20:50:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It must give us three guesses. Krill. Or nothing! ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530/20 "2013-04-12T20:55:38Z")
> [@Disheavel](#): > > Interesting. I like how the date of the poem really is required for many of the clues- so my phlogiston wasn’t too far off 😉 > > But Prof. Pepperwinkle’s bubble is a great take on it (the only thing that I can’t get to fit is the orchestra clue). Lawrence Welk’s bubble machine had a tape player with the canned music for the song. Also blubber was used to sweeten brass’ tones. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unsolved-riddle-from-1873/655530.md?page=2)