Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/177

 164 TUB INDIAN ANTIQUAEW [Jine, 1875. i — — S ANT All RIDDLES. BY Eev. P. T. COLE, TALJHARI, RAJMAEAL. Tlie Santals as a race, are very fond of telling tales and asking riddles. The young men of the villages after coming home from their work are in the habit of meeting together at the vil- lage lounging-places. Having kindled a fire, they will ait around it, and ainnse themselves for hours together, either by telling tales or by asking riddles. Those who know the most tales and can tell them best are looked npon by the rest as very clever ; and it is reckoned a very great acquisition to be able to tell a tale in an interesting manner. There are certain lads whose presence is invariably sought by the rest on account of their power to tell the old talcs well. Some of these stories are extremely interest- ing, and show a great amount of originality. These tales are more or less known by nearly every Santal. In this paper I propose to give you a few of their riddles with appended translations : — Harta latarre pond bin ? Translation— & white snake under a skin ? Meaning — A sword. Seta: * jokhe: do ponea janga, ar tikin jokhe: do barea jmga, ar ayup jokhe: do pea janga ? In the morning it has four feet, at noon two f and in the evening three feet ?t Mi ■ a ting — A man. Han in his stages of life. In the morning— r in infancy, a child uses its hands and feet in the act of crawling. At noon — man, in his prime, walks without any assistance. At even — decre- pit old age requires a staff. Khekre khekre ora:re pak ko doneda. In a dilapidated house they are dancing the war-dance ? Roasting Indian corn. The Santals always roast the corn in a broken " ghara." The bursting of the corn during the process of roasting, reminds one of the wild war-dance. Mit gote: pond gotla mena:a, onare horet ko era ? There is a white plain, and men are sowing black vetches in it ? Meanimf— Writing with ink on paper. Hani calaoena no:oin he:ena P • Ttiia is an accent and not a »top. It is used to. : a peculiar dick-sound common to Sautali. It ■ He went and came back again instantly. Meaning — The eye. Bes bes jo joakana, menkhan bang ko got darea: kana. Fruit fully ripe, but no one is able to pluck them. Stars. Mit gote: hoi; do bae chasa, menkhan akhaeni do jaijuge go: baraea ? Who is it that although he never cultivates, yet continually carries about with him his pitch- fork ? A dog, because he carries his tail with him continually, as a man does his pitchfork. Mit tite tayo do muskil gia. To clap one's hands, if we have only one hand, is difficult. A man when alone can't quarrel. Mit gote: dhelakmonre goto bhugarana? A clod of earth with five holes in it ? A head. Mit gote: dangra do gota teye joma, a* reye pagura ? Something, like an ox, which swahov. food whole, and afterwards chews the cud ? Ahandruill for grinding corn. Mit tang machhi re bar hor kin durupa ar bakin jopoteta ? Two sitting on one small seat, and not touch- ing each other ? A cow's horns. Mit gote: pukri talare chak kliunti menaia, ar ona khonti chhotre mit gote: chat oni ora: ar ona ora: re tij mena:a. Ona ora: nm sanam tij loena, ofa ar khuuti do banchaoena, BX da: lion bang unjetlena. In i he centre of a tank is a post, and on the top of the post is a house. In this house were many stores. It happened one day that a fire broke out. The house and the post were not destroyed, neither was the water of the tank dried up, hut everything in the house was completely con- sumed. The smoking of the hookah. The tank— the cocoanut filled with water; the post — the support of the earthen bowl which holds the tobacco and the fire. sometimes in the middle, as well as at the end. of word*, f Tliis is tho troll-known riddle of the Sphinx.— I