7
$\begingroup$

Riddle me this:

I have a crown, but not a throne,
And a flame that does not burn.
I hold a book with numbers shown,
But the pages can't be turned.

My giant robes are always green;
My hands and feet are much the same.
I have a view that can't be seen;
My eyes are still and thus to blame.

I am a goddess without powers,
But I have my independence.
Not as tall as other towers,
I am met with much attendance.

Left and right are occupied,
And my weight remains a square.
My name is notable worldwide,
But I cannot move elsewhere.

I watched the twins as they fell down,
After the planes had pierced their hearts.
I could not cry, but wore a frown,
Like all my other counterparts.

What / Who am I?

It is said that when we envy, our faces turn green... but not for her, although her face is still green to this day (and will probably be next year).

I edited the first paragraph to make the second line rhyme better with the fourth, but it insignificantly changes the riddle. You can check the edit history to read the original, if you like.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ +1 I liked it, but, like @crcroberts got it from the green hint. It reminds me of my own, check out the third hint. $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Jul 31, 2018 at 3:22
  • $\begingroup$ @Chowzen Ah yes, I now see what you mean. Until I had read the hints, the answer was unforeseen. At most mentions of her, she's a recognised queen! Perhaps I should change some of my clues in between :D $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Jul 31, 2018 at 4:02
  • $\begingroup$ I'll also point out the time stamps. If you look at the edit history, you'll notice that it was asked on the 2nd at around noon, 1st hint the 3rd around noon, 2nd hint 4th around noon, 3rd hint on the 5th around noon, and answered correctly an hour later. $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Jul 31, 2018 at 4:02

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10
$\begingroup$

This is

The Statue of Liberty.

I'll probably miss a few clues because I'm the wrong culture, but shes famous enough for a bunch.

A Lonely Lady on An Island

Well, she is on an island, and the most prominant, isolated feature thereof.

I have a crown, but not a throne;

She wears a pointed tiara, but is standing not seated

I have a flame that does not burn;

She holds a torch - or at least a carved representation of a torch

I hold a book with numbers shown, But the pages can't be turned.

She holds a book (tablet?) bearing a date (when she was carved?)

My Roman robes are always green; My hands and feet are much the same.

Green patina on her metal

I have a view that can't be seen; My eyes are still and thus to blame.

Isn't there a viewing platform somewhere? And yet her carved eyes can't see the famous view she's the lookout for.

I am a goddess without powers, But I have my independence.

Unsure of goddess, but independence is another american icon

Not as tall as other towers, I am met with much attendance.

Presumably dwarfed by nearby towers, but a major tourist attraction.

Left and right are occupied, And my weight remains a square.

Really not sure on this one... possibly something political, possibly something physical at her location?

My name is notable worldwide, But I cannot move elsewhere.

Again, famous, but a statue.

I watched the twins as they fell down, After the planes had pierced their hearts.

Oosh, I didn't even get this far before it was obvious, but this seems almost too obvious. 9/11 and the trade towers.

I could not cry, but wore a frown, Like all my other counterparts

Classical statues (which I presume she's modelled after) typically display a resting face that can be interpreted as stern

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
10
  • $\begingroup$ Crud. Was it too easy? $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Jul 31, 2018 at 2:27
  • $\begingroup$ I personally clicked on the line about robes being green, i think the word roman put me in the right mindset, then green for patina, then the first stanza slotted into place. Not sure if everyones minds would follow that route, but I certainly suspect the bit about the planes (while very nice as a homage) might be a tad obvious... $\endgroup$
    – crcroberts
    Jul 31, 2018 at 2:35
  • $\begingroup$ I showed my teacher the riddle, and he read through it and found it a bit difficult, so I thought it would have been a nice riddle... but Rot13(jr ner va Nhfgenyvn, fb jr qba'g unir gur terra ynql.) :) $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Jul 31, 2018 at 3:02
  • $\begingroup$ hah, I'm NZ, Australasia represent! Regardless of difficulty, I quite like it, it flows well and reads well as prose :) Not to get stuck on the one point, but I do think if you can find a synonym or bit of clever wording for the planes (without ruining the meter) you'll have patched up the most glaring giveaway $\endgroup$
    – crcroberts
    Jul 31, 2018 at 3:09
  • $\begingroup$ Okay. Thank you for your advice. I might change the word "Roman" to "giant" :D $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Jul 31, 2018 at 6:07

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.