The Holme Riddles are a collection of 144 English riddles preserved in London, British Library, Harley 1960. Although the manuscript dates from the mid-seventeenth century, some of these riddles are apparently rooted in ancient Germanic tradition. One of these, an ancient ‘world-riddle’ according to the editor, is a version of the ‘oak-ship’ riddle:
Q. wn j lived j fed the liveing now j am dead j beare the live[in]g & with swift speed j walk our the liveing
A. a ship mad[e] of oake groweing feeds hogs with acorns now b[e]ars men & swims our fishes.