The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-25
RIDDLES AND PROVERBS.
,PeAT IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO
THEM IN EARLY TIMES.

Fable Tales In which Old Riddles Play
Prominent Part-Advcntures Of the
x,,s.. SON with the Witch and In the
Den Of Wanderers.
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 mans intelli-
..ence and ability; therefore the man
who could ask n question that another
man could not answer was considered rs
AR the ADLER OF the two. and men like
Esop. when thy could not answer the
apparently simple riddle, were so cha
,rined that they even committed suicide
The high value thus attached To rid
Hing did not stand very long hcfore the
..,yical arguments Of the scbools: but
among the common people the riddle has
lived on. and is still a stock amusement
FOR larger portion Of the human race
ihan any other device. This is especially
,rue Of the various riddles that are
woven into the tales of folk lore, pariic.
nlarly those that are common to the dif'
ferent nationalities.
Often the construction is so simple rs
TO show q remarkable want Of ingenuity,
and generally the wit is scanty, and of
zen the phrase vulgar, but. such as II Is
it has set and still sets gray boards was
ring. and thick heads nodding delight
in many lands by the myriad home fires
If the pcasantry of the world.
In like manner many of the proverbs
that now seem meaningless had an origl
nal connection with some old word tale
that has been lost or obscured while the
expression has lived on. Take, for in
itance. the provcrbial phrase, "the nine
lives of a cat" 1t comes from an old Hin
loo story of "The Cat That Could Not
Be Killed.
The dog bit her tail in half, the ele
ohant seized her with his trunk and
threw her q long distance, then he put
his foot on her, then the leopard was
cheated 10y her, man stuck his knife
INTO her and a bear clawed her, but they
lidnt kill the cat, and all Of them wished
they had let her alone.
The German tale Of 1.-The Riddle" is a
fair sample of large class of the folk
tales in which riddles play prominent
part. Here it is:
There was once kings son who was
seized with a desire to travel around the
world. and took 10 one with him but
faithful servant. One day he came to
great forest. and when darkness overlook
him he could find 10 shelter and knew
not where to pass the night. Then h'
saw a girl who was going toward sinai
house. and when hc came nearer he saw
that the maideu was young and beauti
ful. He spoke to her and said: "Deai
child. can and my servant find shelter
for the night" "Oh, yes, said the girl
in a sad voice; "that YOU certainly can
but | do not advise you TO venture 1t
Do not 60 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 hac
come to the house of n witch, but rs i.
was dark and he could not 20 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 tC
be prudent TO cat and drink nothing, fol
the old woman brewcd evil drinks.
They slept quietly until morning. When
they were making ready for their de
parture, and the kings son was already
seated on his horse, the old woman said
stop moment; will first hand you &
parting draught.'
Whilst she fetched it the kings SOL
rode away, and the servant, who wa.
Just buckling lis saddle on, was stand
ing there. when the wicked witch cam,
ont with the drink. take that TO YOU
master" said she, but as she spoke til,
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 wen'
back for the saddle. When he came t
the dead horse a raven was already dc
vouring it. "Who knows whether w
shall find anything better today said
the servant. 50 he killed the raven anc
took it with him.
And now they journ-yed onward int
the forest the whole day and could mo-
get out Of it, BY nightfall they found
an inn and entered it. The servant gave
the raven to the innkeepcr to make j.
ready for supper.
The inn, however, was den OF muir
derers. who intended to kill the stran
gers. but first sat down TO supper and ~
the raven. In short time they all fcl
down dead, and the only one left in thu
house was the inDkeeper's daughter
who was honest, and showed 10 ia,
kings son the treasures which the muir
dercrs had laid up. lie would have
nothing TO do with them and told her t.
keep them. The next day they set on
upon their travels, and soon came to
town in which was beautiful princess
who had caused it to be proclaimed thai
whosoever set her a riddle that she could
not guess should be her husband, but !.
she guessed it his head should be cut of
The kings son determined to try his for
tune, and propounded this one: "One
slew none, and yet slew twC.se." TIL,
riddle proved too hard for the princes.
who finally has 10 marry the kings son.
The reader will see that there Is 10
great amount of wit in such tales az
these, and yet they have given create
amusement to larger circle Of al
miTcrs than the wittiest story that wa
ever told.-Marcus Lane in ChicagC
Globe.