, 1889-12-22
RIDDLES AND PROVERBS.
GREAT IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO
THEM IN EARLY TIMES.

Riddles are an old, old story in human
history, and proverbs apparently began
with the very beginning of human life.
Originally the riddle was considered as
the authoritative test of a mans intelli-
gence and ability; therefore the man
who could ask a question that another
man could rot answer was considered as
far the ADLER of the two, and men like
Esop, when they could not answer the
apparently simple riddle, were SO cha
srined that they ever committed suicide.
The high value thus attached to rid
ding did not stand very long before the
logical arguments of the schools; but
among the common people the riddle has
lived on, and is still n stock amusement
for a larger portion of the human race
than any other device. This is especially
+ u Of the various riddles that are
woven into the tales of folk lore, partic-
ularly those that are common to the diff
ferent n~ationalities.
Often the construction is SO simple as
to show n remarkable want of ingenuity,
and generally the wit is scanty, and Of
ten the phrase vulgar, but, such as it is,
it has set and still sets gray boards wag-
ging, and thick heads nodding delight
in many lands by the myriad home fires
Of the peasantry of the world.
In like name many of the proverbs
that now seem meaningless had an origi-
nal connection with some old word tale
that has been lost or obscured while the
expression has lived on. Take, for in
stance, the proverbial phrase, 1.-The nine
lives of a cat" 1t comes from an old Hin
o story of ''The Cat That Could Not
Be Killed.
The dog bit her tail in half, the ele-
plant seized her with his trunk and
threw her a long distance, then he put
his foot on her, then the leopard was
cheated by her, a man stuck his knife
into her and a bear clawed her, but they
didn't kill the cat, and all Of them wished
they had let her alone.
The German tale of The Riddle" is a
fair sample Of a large class of the folk
tales in which riddles play a prominent
part. Here it is:
There was once a kings son who was
seized with a desire TO travel around the
world, and took 40 one with him but a
faithful servant. One day he came TO a
great forest, and when darkness overlook
him he could find no shelter and knew
not where to pass the night. Then he
saw n girl who was going toward "a small
house, and when he came nearer he saw
that the maiden was young and beauti-
full. He spoke to her and said: Dear
child, l and my servant find shelter
for the night?" 'Oh, yes" said the girl,
in n sad voice; that you certainly can;
but l do not advise you TO venture 1t.
Do not go in" why not?" asked he.
The maiden sighed and said: my step
mother practices wicked arts. She is i'll
disposed to strangers"
Then he saw very well that he had
come to the house of n witch, but as it
was dark and he could not go farther,
and also was not afraid, he entered. The
old woman was sitting in an arm chair
by the fire, and looked at the stranger
with her red eyes, GOOD evening""
growled she, and pretended to be quite
friendly. Take a seat and rest your
self" She blew up the fire, on which
she was cooking something in a small
pot. The daughter warned the two to
be prudent to eat and drink nothing, for
the old woman brewed evil drinks.
They slept quietly until morning. When
they were making ready for their de-
loAAAltt M Nit hlis . bOl vas dlItlul
seated on his horse, the old woman said:
stop a moment; l will first hand you a
parting draught."
Whilst she fetched it the kings son
rode away, and the servant who was
Just buckling his saddle on, was stand
ing there, when tile wicked witch came
out with the drink. Take that to your
master" aid she, but as she spoke the
glass broke and the liquid spurted ON the
horse, which Immediately fell down
dead. The servant ran and told his mas
ter what had happened, and then went
back for the saddle. When he came to
the dead horse "a raven was already de-
vouring it. who knows whether we
shall find anything better todayg' said
the servant, 50 he killed the raven and
took it with him.
And now they journeyed onward into
the forest the whole day and could not
get out of it. By nightfall they found
an inn and entered it. The servant gave
the raven to the innkeeper to make it
ready for supper.
The inn, however, was a den of muir
derers, who intended to kill the stran-
gers, but first sat down to supper and ate
the raven. In a short time they all fell
down dead, and the only one left in the
house was the innkeeper's daughter,
who was honest, and showed to the
kings son the treasures which the muir
derers bad laid up. He would have
nothing to do with them and told her to
keep them. The next day they set out
upon their travels, and soon came to a
town in which was a beautiful princess,
who had caused it to lie proclaimed that
whosoeyer set her a riddle that she could
not guess should be her husband, but if
she guessed it his head should be cut off.
The kings son determined to try his for
tune, and propounded this one: Zone
slew none, and yet slew twelve" The
riddle proved too hard for the princess,
who finally has to marry the kings son.
The reader will see that there is no
great amount of wit in such tales as
these, and yet they ave given greater
amusement to a larger circle Of ad-
mirers h the wittiest story that was
ever told.-Marcus Lane in Chicago