Calling all big brains: Decode this!

[Ponypoor]

First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?
I don’t know, and I won’t cheat, so I give up. Sorry, my iPad dies, so I didn’t answer earlier.

 

[Ponypoor]

Those were awesome thanks for posting them!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Decode this, then solve the riddle (try to not use google):

Key:
1=a, 2=b, 3=c, 4=d, 5=e, 6=f, 7=g, 8=h, 9=i, 10=j, 11=k, 12=l, 13=m, 14=n, 15=o, 16=p, 17=q, 18=r, 19=s, 20=t, 21=u, 22=v, 23=w, 24=x, 25=y, and 26=z. Good luck, and happy decoding....
( _ = space)


23 8 1 20 _ 8 1 19 _ 20 15 _ 2 5 _ 2 18 15 11 5 14 _ 2 5 6 15 18 5 _ 25 15 21 _ 3 1 14 _ 21 19 5 _ 9 20 ?