22 replies to this topic

[Stone Crow]

Greetings,

I am currently reading a Feast for Crows and as far as I remember the following riddle was from Clash of Kings (as pointed in trailer of second season):


In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. Who should he kill?


I was wondering if there is any specific answer through the 4th book or a Dance with Dragons, or maybe it was already answered through the books and I missed it.

SPOILER BELOW.

I suspect that Tyrion made his choice in a way because both Joffrey Baratheon and Tywin Lannister are dead. Joffrey represents the King and Tywind the Rich man, so it seems that he chose the priest even though it is mentioned in the books that he has no faith in gods.

Please share your opinions, if this was previously discussed then forgive me cause I am new to the forum.

Edited by Stone Crow, 30 January 2012 - 02:23 PM.

[servethe_Realm]

I am re-reading A Clash of Kings right now, cant remember if the riddles answer is revealed or not. I do remember someone talking of how it's all a perception of power and that the decision lies with the sellsword. In myopinion, if Varys had riddled this to me, I'd have said the rich man would live based solely on the fact that sellswords are in it for money.

Doesnt help you much, just my thoughts.

[Prince of the North]

That's a great riddle and, of course, there is no "right" answer.  The purpose of the riddle is to show that "power" resides where people believe it resides.  The sellsword in the riddle, using his own values, will not kill the one who he believes will benefit him the most (i.e. the one that he believes has the most power or importance).  If he's a pious man, he spares the priest.  If he's a greedy man, he spares the rich man.  If he's concerned with honor/loyalty to nobility, etc., he spares the king.  I think something along these lines is the "answer" to this riddle.

[Doran II]

Prince of the North, on 31 January 2012 - 12:52 PM, said:

That's a great riddle and, of course, there is no "right" answer.  The purpose of the riddle is to show that "power" resides where people believe it resides.  The sellsword in the riddle, using his own values, will not kill the one who he believes will benefit him the most (i.e. the one that he believes has the most power or importance).  If he's a pious man, he spares the priest.  If he's a greedy man, he spares the rich man.  If he's concerned with honor/loyalty to nobility, etc., he spares the king.  I think something along these lines is the "answer" to this riddle.

Pretty much what prince said, i think that's what varys meant to show tyrion, and i believe that's why varys is one of the most inteligent characters in this series, his level of comprehension about people is amazing.

But i don't remember tyrion's answer and im too lazy to look it up, what did tyrion reply?

[LifeRuiner]

Shae chose the rich man but Tyrion told her that it depends on a sellsword.

[Stone Crow]

Doran II, on 31 January 2012 - 01:06 PM, said:

Pretty much what prince said, i think that's what varys meant to show tyrion, and i believe that's why varys is one of the most inteligent characters in this series, his level of comprehension about people is amazing.

But i don't remember tyrion's answer and im too lazy to look it up, what did tyrion reply?

I also don't really remember what he answered, I guess he just stayed silent or walked away.

[Born by Fire]

Neither Tyrion nor Varys ever answered directly.  But the sequencing definitely confirmed that the answer was relative to each individual's character.

[Dracarya]

This could be a complete non-answer, but I literally just reread that bit so I shall use the power of a quote:

Quote

Tyrion cocked his head sideways. "Did you mean to answer your riddle, or only to make my head ache worse?"
Varys smiled. "Here, then. Power resides where men believe it resides. No more, no less."
"So power is a mummer's trick?"
"A shadow on the wall," Varys murmured, "yet shadows can kill. And oftimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow."

That's page 97 of my paperback version. It comes after a discussion about who 'truly' killed Ned. Not exactly sure what it means either - tho I'm guessing the small man/large shadow bit is referring to Tyrion. A good riddle; it's on the season 2 trailer as well

[Doran II]

Fire&Blood, on 04 February 2012 - 02:22 PM, said:

This could be a complete non-answer, but I literally just reread that bit so I shall use the power of a quote:



That's page 97 of my paperback version. It comes after a discussion about who 'truly' killed Ned. Not exactly sure what it means either - tho I'm guessing the small man/large shadow bit is referring to Tyrion. A good riddle; it's on the season 2 trailer as well

Yeah thx for the quote F&B, pretty much confirms what we tought was the answer.

[Elaena Targaryen]

nevermind

Edited by Elaena Targaryen, 05 February 2012 - 12:21 AM.

[Murder of Crows]

It's interesting that Vary's sya's "A shadow on the wall," Varys murmured, "yet shadows can kill. And oftimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow" considering how Renly dies.

[Lord Hodor]

When I read this way back when, it puzzeled me for a bit too.

To me however the answer would be, kill the King take his crown, kill the rich man take his purse and ask, politely with the bloody sword still in hand, the holy man to annoint me the new king in the faces of Gods and men.

Considering I was a sellsword that is.

[Crown]

Lord Hodor, on 06 March 2012 - 10:50 AM, said:

When I read this way back when, it puzzeled me for a bit too.

To me however the answer would be, kill the King take his crown, kill the rich man take his purse and ask, politely with the bloody sword still in hand, the holy man to annoint me the new king in the faces of Gods and men.

Considering I was a sellsword that is.

Exactly, but that means the power resides at the sellsword, and not at the king, nor the rich man, nor the priest.

[psychogobstopper]

But then that sellsword would need to hold the throne, and I imagine he'd find out quickly that he has no power indeed.  

[Edgy]

First post so greetings people! Here goes, gulp.....

I thought about it and thought that the answer would be the sellsword choosing the rich man to save. Kings are transient and God (or Gods) may not exist whilst money is the only empirical and transferrable ally. Money can buy forgiveness from a Priest and God(s) and favour of or protection from a King. The man being a sellsword in the first place could be interpreted to back this up.
Though Varys explains that power is where people 'think' it resides it seems that one of the reoccurring dynamics of the series is that 'might makes right' and obviously again money can buy a significant amount of might easily. What dya think?

Great to have found this forum by the way, hope you're all well

[HmmWhatsHisFace]

Dracarya, on 04 February 2012 - 02:22 PM, said:

This could be a complete non-answer, but I literally just reread that bit so I shall use the power of a quote:



That's page 97 of my paperback version. It comes after a discussion about who 'truly' killed Ned. Not exactly sure what it means either - tho I'm guessing the small man/large shadow bit is referring to Tyrion. A good riddle; it's on the season 2 trailer as well

Considering Varys is a former mummer (actor) who possibly wants to crown a king that he can control, this could be some very good forshadowing.

[James Tyrell]

Yeah, I'd believe in the answer being dependent on the kind of sellsword we have. Unless the sellsword is your stereotypical coin-obsessed sellsword, then it could be any one of the three he chooses to kills. He can even kill everyone if he's that sadistic.

With respect to Stone Crow's spoiler, I don't understand how Tyrion appears to choose the priest, considering that he only had DIRECT influence with one of the two deaths.

[The Red Hand]

I think this riddle shows up later on....

Spoiler

At the kingsmoot Aeron is the "priest", Vicatarion the "king" because he commans men, and Euron is the "rich man" because of the wealth from his raidings. Maybe this is GRRM's way of showing his opinion?  

Edited by The Red Hand, 28 July 2012 - 04:38 AM.

[LittlefingerInYourBum]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Dark wings, dark words.

The answer is all.

[Zod]

On a blog, "darkrageofwar" joked that whoever put them all in the same room has the power.