Riddlemeree

This year saw the fourth Comrie Fortnight since we moved here, it was also the first time I have actually been in the village for the Fortnight! Say no more. The highlight for me this year; the Progamme and more particularly the quizzes therein.

One that especially appealed was the Yum Yum Quiz where the answers were of chocolate bars and sweets. I liked how many of the clues referred to advertising campaigns for the sweets of bygone days those that were crumbliest and flakiest or full of Eastern promise (nowadays it would be banned for racism or female trafficking concerns), and the least said about chunky chocolate bars not being for females the better!

The other day I was reminded of another advert for a chocolate biscuit from many moons ago. Two little boys have ‘discovered’ a box of Chocolate Fingers (which incidentally holds far more biscuits than the modern boxes do), they set about dividing them up. The older boy takes charge promising fair shares for both telling his brother one, that’s for you two, that’s for me giving himself two and so on. The younger sibling knows he’s being done but can’t quite work out how, so in admiration he says “Wish I was as clever as you Brian”.

I could ask what sweet foodstuff has the above quote on its packaging?

That though would be a second question coming from this incident which features prominently in the story of Samson and Delilah. To save you looking it up Samson had been walking along a road when he was attacked by a lion, he killed the beast and left its carcass in the undergrowth at the side of the road. Returning by the same route a while later he was surprised to find a swarm of bees had made their nest in the lion’s skull, no doubt feeling the bees owed him for providing their nest site Samson helped himself to some of the honey.  At his wedding feast Samson asks the riddle and bets thirty fine garments the men cannot answer it within seven days. To avoid having to pay up the men get Delilah to charm the answer out of Samson, which she does. To say Samson is not best pleased would be a bit of an understatement!

The point of the story is that it was impossible to know the answer without knowing of the lion and the bees.

We may think at times we are on to a sure fire winner and are untouchable like both Samson and Brian, but we all have a weakness which can destroy our plans if we are not continually on our guard.

With God on our side we have a sure and certain hope which God time and again repairs and strengthens for us.