Why is this the answer?

The answer is thimble because this clever riddle uses fun word pictures to describe a very small, very important tool that people use when they are sewing. It is like a tiny suit of armor just for one of your fingers. Let's break down the clues so we can solve this mystery. The first part says the object is "An open ended barrel, it is shaped like a hive." A barrel is usually a big, round container. A thimble is a little cylinder, shaped like a tiny cup, that has one open end. This makes it like a miniature, open barrel. If you look closely at the outside of a thimble, you will notice that it is covered in lots of small, shallow dents, almost like tiny little honeycombs or cells in a beehive. These little dimples have a job: they stop the sharp end of a sewing needle from slipping off when you push it. The second part of the riddle gives us a clue about what goes inside: "It is filled with the flesh, and the flesh is alive." When a person sews, they put one of their fingers, the "flesh," inside the thimble's open end. Your finger is a part of your living body, so the "flesh is alive." The thimble's entire purpose is to protect that living finger. Without it, the person would be pushing the sharp, pointy sewing needle directly with their bare finger. The thimble acts as a strong metal shield, making sure the needle is pushed all the way through the fabric without poking and hurting the skin on your fingertip. The riddle makes this small, useful object sound like a huge, mysterious thing with its fun language. It is a great example of a riddle that tricks your mind by using very large words to describe something very small and familiar. People have used thimbles for a very long time to help them mend clothes and create beautiful things out of fabric, proving that even the smallest tools can be the biggest helpers.