Curious

[dave]

* God made Adam out of dust,
* But thought it best to make me first,
* So I was made before the man,
* According to God's holy plan.
* My whole body God made complete,
* Without arms or hands or even feet.
* My ways and acts did God control,
* But in my body he placed no soul.
* A living being I became,
* And Adam gave to me a name.

* All my maker's laws I do obey,
* And from these laws I never stray.
* Thousands of me go where we can steer,
* And seldom on the earth do we appear.
* Later, for a purpose God did see,
* He placed a living soul in me.
* But that soul of mine God had to claim,
* And from me took it back again.
* And when this soul from me had fled,
* I was the same as when first made,
* Without arms, legs, feet, or soul,
* I travel on from pole to pole.

* My labors are from day to night,
* And to men I once furnished light.
* Thousands of people both young and old,
* Did by my death bright lights behold.
* No right or wrong can I conceive,
* The Bible's teaches I can't believe.
* The fear of death doesn't trouble me.

* Pure happiness I'll never see.
* And up in Heaven, I can never go,
* Nor Hades or Hell below.
* So get your Bible, and read with care,
* You'll find my name recorded there.

This riddle was written by a lady in California in 1890 in response to a gentlemen in Philadelphia, who said that he would pay
$1,000 to anyone who could write a riddle he couldn't solve. He failed to solve it, and paid the woman $1,000 ( a large sum at the time).

[Extol]

I love riddles!

My first thought was the sun, though the part about getting a temporary soul is a bit confusing...(maybe that's when the 'sun stood still'?)

[dave]

I believe it is speaking of the serpent/satan..... according to orthodox christian teaching.