12 Old Russian riddles
Are brain teasers your thing? Then try to solve these!
Riddles are part of oral tradition and a treasure trove of folk wisdom. Vladimir Dal, the compiler of the ‘Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language’ , called them "something mysterious, unknown and intriguing; a brief allegorical description of an object, intended to be solved".
The first collection of riddles was published by Mikhail Chulkov in 1770 in the ‘Parnassky Schepetilnik’ (‘Parnassian Scrupulous’) magazine: “15 puzzles without answers”. That is how these folk pastimes that tested wit and logic became part of the literary tradition.
Below are a dozen riddles that will make you rack your brains.
1 «Кругленько, маленько, всему миру миленько.»
"Round, small and dear to the whole world."
(coin)
2 «Летает птица долгонос, носит платье рудо-желтое, а кто убьет, тот кровь свою прольет.»
"The long-nosed bird flies, wears a rusty yellow dress and, whoever kills it, will spill their blood."
(mosquito)
3 «Боярыня, княгиня, весь мир надарила, а сама нагая ходит.»
"The noblewoman, the princess, has given the whole world gifts, yet she herself walks naked."
(needle)
4 «Родится от воды, растет от огня, и от воды умирает.»
"Gets born of water, grows by fire and dies by water."
(salt)
5 «Живая живулечка сидит на живом стулечке, живое мясцо теребит.»
"A living little creature sits on a living little chair, fidgeting with living flesh."
(baby)
6 «Древо древоданское, листья лихоханские, цветы ангельские, когти дьявольские»
"A tree of height, leaves of plenty, flowers of angels, claws of the Devil."
(rosehip)
7 «Под полом, полом ходит барыня с колом.»
"Under the floor, on the floor, a lady walks with a stake."
(mouse)
8 «Взглянешь — заплачешь, а краше его на свете нет.»
"You look and cry, but there's nothing more beautiful than it in the world."
(sun)
9 «Шел долговяз — в сырую землю увяз.»
"A lanky man walked – and got stuck in the damp earth."
(rain)
10 «Мужик наземь бросает, а барин в карман кладет.»
"The peasant throws it on the ground, but the master puts it in his pocket."
(snot)
11 «В крутом буераке лютые собаки.»
"In the steep ravine are fierce dogs."
(bees)
12 «Сивые кабаны все поле облегли.»
"Gray boars covered the entire field."
(fog)