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Flyting is a ritual, poetic exchange of insults practiced mainly between the 5th and 16th centuries (example: Old Norse Flytings). Find examples in “The Hobbit” (you can also refer to riddles). Explain their use and effect on the story.

"[Gollum] was anxious to appear friendly, at any rate for the moment, and until he found out more about the sword and the hobbit, whether he was quite alone really, whether he was good to eat, and whether Gollum was really hungry. Riddles were all he could think of. Asking them, and sometimes guessing them, had been the only game he had every played with other funny creatures sitting in their holes in the long, long ago, before he lost all of his friends and was driven away, alone, and crept down, down, into the dark under the mountains (...) [Bilbo] knew, of course, that the riddle-game was sacred and of immense antiquity, and even wicked creatures were afraid to cheat when they played at it. But he felt he could not trust this slimy thing [Gollum] to keep any promise at a pinch." (chapter 5)


It's a bit odd that we're being invited to join this wise, yet unnecessary riddle game, when the end result doesn't matter: if Bilbo loses, Gollum will try to eat him. And now that Bilbo has won, Gollum is still going to try and kill him. The only good thing about them is that they are indeed unique and very poetic, hard to unlock.

What has roots as nobody sees,
Is taller than trees,
Up, up it goes,
And yet never grows?
One of Gollum's riddles for Bilbo. The answer is "mountain".

Thirty white horses on a red hill,
First they champ,
Then they stamp,
Then they stand still.
One of Bilbo's riddles for Gollum. The answer is "teeth".

Voiceless it cries,
Wingless flutters,
toothless bites,
Mouthless mutters.
One of Gollum's riddles for Bilbo. The answer is "wind".

An eye in a blue face
Saw an eye in a green face.
"That eye is like to this eye"
Said the first eye,
"but in low place
Not in high place."
One of Bilbo's riddles for Gollum. The answer is "sun on the daisies".

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.
One of Gollum's riddles for Bilbo. The answer is "dark".

A box without hinges, key, or lid,
yet golden treasure inside is hid.
One of Bilbo's riddles for Gollum. The answer is "egg".

Alive without breath,
As cold as death;
Never thirsty, ever drinking,
All in mail never clinking.
One of Gollum's riddles for Bilbo. The answer is "fish".

No-legs lay on one-leg,
Two-legs sat near on three-legs,
Four-legs got some.
One of Bilbo's riddles for Gollum. The answer is "fish on a little table, man at table sitting on a stool, the cat has the bones".

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.
One of Gollum's riddles for Bilbo. The answer is "time".
(chapter 5)