I'm as small as an ant, as big as a whale. I'll approach like a breeze, but can come like a gale. By some I get hit, but all have shown fear. I'll dance to the music, though I can't hear. Of names I have many, of names I have one. I'm as slow as a snail, but from me you can't run. What am I?

Why this works

This riddle plays with the contrasting attributes of a shadow, using vivid imagery and metaphor. The phrases "as small as an ant, as big as a whale" illustrate how a shadow can vary in size depending on the light source and distance from the object casting it. When it says, "I'll approach like a breeze, but can come like a gale," it suggests that shadows can creep up subtly or appear suddenly, depending on the lighting. The line "I'll dance to the music, though I can't hear" refers to how shadows move and change shape with the movements of the object casting them, despite having no sound perception. Finally, the idea that "from me you can't run" emphasizes that shadows are always attached to their source, making them an inescapable part of our environment.