My tines are long
My tines are short
My tines end ere
My first report

A serpent swam in a silver urn
A golden bird did in its mouth abide
The serpent drank the water, this in turn
Killed the serpent. Then the gold bird died.

What starts with an “e,” ends with an “e”
and usually contains only one letter?

The wave, over a wave,
a weird thing I saw,
through-wrought,
and wonderfully ornate,
a wonder on the waves,
water became bone.
What did i see?

My life can be measured in hours,
i serve by being devoured.
Thin, i am quick; fat, i am slow.
Wind is my foe.
What am i?

A vessel have I,
that is round as a pear,
moist in the middle,
surrounded with hair,
and often it happens
that water flows there.
What am i?

What does man love more than life,
fear more than death or mortal strife?
What do the poor have, what the rich require,
and what contented men desire?
What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save,
and all men carry to their graves?

I fly, yet i have no wings.
I cry, yet i have no eyes.
Darkness follows me,
lower light I never see.
What am i?