Although I had already inquired for them from Ilocano boys, my first
actual knowledge of Filipino riddles was due to Mr. George T. Shoens,
American teacher among the Bisayans. He had made a collection of some
fifty Bisayan riddles and presented a brief paper regarding them at
the Anthropological Conference held at Baguio, under my direction, on
May 12-14, 1908. My own collection was begun among Ilocano of Union
Province from whom about two hundred examples were secured. Others
were later secured from Pangasinan, Gaddang, Pampangan, Bisayan and
Tagal sources. My informants have chiefly been school-boys, who spoke
a little English; they wrote the text of riddle and answer in their
native tongue and then we went over them carefully together to make
an English translation and to get at the meaning. Many Filipinos
know how to read and write their native language, although few have
had actual instruction in doing so. There is no question that errors
and inconsistencies exist in the spelling of these riddles, due to
this lack of instruction and to the fact that the texts have been
written by many different persons. I am myself not acquainted with
any Malay language. I have tried to secure uniformity in spelling
within the limits of each language but have no doubt overlooked many
inconsistencies. The indulgence of competent critics is asked. It has
been our intention throughout to adhere to the _old_ orthography. Thus
the initial _qu_ and the final _ao_ have been preferred.
The _word_ for riddle varies with the population. In Ilocano it is
_burburtia_, in Pangasinan _boniqueo_, in Tagal _bugtong_, in Gaddang
----, in Pampangan _bugtong_, in Bisayan _tugmahanon_.
Riddles are common to all mankind. They delighted the old Aryans and
the ancient Greeks as they do the modern Hindu and the Bantu peoples
of darkest Africa. Many writers have defined the riddle. Friedreich
in his _Geschichte des Räthsels_, says: "The riddle is an indirect
presentation of an unknown object, in order that the ingenuity of the
hearer or reader may be exercised in finding it out.... Wolf has given
the following definition: the riddle is a play of wit, which endeavors
to so present an object, by stating its characteristic features and
peculiarities, as to adequately call it before the mind, without,
however, actually naming it."
The riddles of various Oriental peoples have already been collected
and more or less adequately discussed by authors. Hebrew riddles
occur in the Bible, the best known certainly being Samson's:
"Out of the eater came forth meat,
And out of the strong came forth sweetness."
Arabic riddles are many and have been considerably studied; Persian
riddles are well known; of Indian riddles at least one collection
has been printed separately under the name _Lakshminatha upasaru_,
a series of Kolarian riddles from Chota Nagpur has been printed as,
also, an interesting article upon Behar riddles; Sanskrit riddles are
numerous and have called for some attention from scholars; a few Gypsy
riddles are known; two recent papers deal with Corean riddles. We know
of but two references to Malayan riddles; one is Rizal, _Specimens
of Tagal Folk-Lore_, the other is Sibree's paper upon the _Oratory,
Songs, Legends, and Folk-Tales of the Malagasy_. This is no doubt
an incomplete bibliography but the field has been sadly neglected
and even to secure this list has demanded much labor. It suffices
to show how deeply the riddle is rooted in Oriental thought and
indicates the probability that riddles were used in Malaysia long
before European contact.
To what degree Filipino riddles are indigenous and original is an
interesting but difficult question. So far as they are of European
origin or influenced by European thought, they have come from or
been influenced by Spain. Whatever comparison is made should chiefly,
and primarily, be with Spanish riddles. But our available sources of
information regarding Spanish riddles are not numerous. We have only
Demofilo's _Collecion de enigmas y adivinanzas_, printed at Seville
in 1880, and a series of five chap-books from Mexico, entitled _Del
Pegueño Adivinadorcito_, and containing a total of three hundred and
seven riddles. Filipino riddles deal largely with animals, plants and
objects of local character; such must have been made in the Islands
even if influenced by Spanish models and ideas. Some depend upon purely
local customs and conditions--thus numbers 170, 237, etc., could only
originate locally. Some, to which the answers are such words as egg,
needle and thread, etc., (answers common to riddles in all European
lands), may be due to outside influence and may still have some local
or native touch or flavor, in their metaphors; thus No. 102 is actually
our "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;" the Mexican form runs:
"Una arquita muy chiquita
tan blanca como la cal
todo lo saben abrir
pero ninguno cerrar."
But the metaphor "the King's limebox" could only occur in a district
of betel-chewing and is a native touch. Many of the Filipino riddles
introduce the names of saints and, to that degree, evidence foreign
influence; but even in such cases there may be local coloring; thus,
calling rain-drops falling "rods," "St. Joseph's rods cannot be
counted," could hardly be found outside of the tropics. Religious
riddles, relating to beads, bells, church, crucifixes, are common
enough and are necessarily due to outside influence, but even such
sometimes show a non-European attitude of mind, metaphorical expression
or form of thought.
Everywhere riddles vary in quality and value. Many are stupid
things, crudely conceived and badly expressed. Only the exceptional
is fine. Examine any page of one of our own riddle books and you
may criticize almost every riddle upon it for view-point, or form,
or flavor. We must not demand more from Filipino riddles than from
our own. Some knowledge of local products, customs, conditions, is
necessary for the understanding of their meaning; when understood,
they are fully equal to ours in shrewdness, wit and expression. Krauss
emphasizes the fact that everywhere riddles tend to coarseness and
even to obscenity and discusses the reasons. What is true elsewhere
is true here; a considerable number of Filipino riddles are coarse;
we have introduced them but emphasize the fact that any scientifically
formed collection of German or English riddles would contain some
quite as bad.
Probably few of our readers have considered the taxonomy of
riddles. Friedreich offers a loose and unscientific classification
as follows:
I. The Question Riddle.
II. The Simple Word Riddle (with seven sub-divisions).
III. The Syllable Riddle or Charade.
IV. The Letter Riddle.
1. With reference to sound.
2. With reference to form.
V. Punctuation Riddles.
VI. The Rebus.
VII. Complex Riddles; combination of two or more simple types.
VIII. Number Riddles.
Several of these forms occur in our collection.
More scientific than Friedreich's work is Petsch's _Studien über
das Volksrätsel_. His analysis and dissection of riddle forms best
enable us to test the indigenous content of our Filipino riddles. He
recognizes two fundamental riddle types. He says: "Two groups of
riddles have long been distinguished in the collections, the true
rhymed riddles and the short 'catch-questions' expressed in prose. The
difference is not only in form but in content. 'True riddles' have
as purpose the describing of an object in veiled, thought-arousing,
perhaps misleading, poetical clothing, which, from this presentation of
its appearance, its source, its utility, etc., shall be recognized by
the intelligence, i.e., can and shall be guessed. 'Catch-questions,'
on the contrary, are not to be guessed, the questioner intending
himself to give the solution; at their best they are intended to trick
the hearer, and since their solution is impossible to the uninitiated
are not 'true riddles' but false ones. Since I propose to divide the
total riddle material of each single nation between these two great
chief groups, may I not somewhat extend the scope of the latter,
including some things which are rejected from most collections as
having little to do with actual riddles--those questions which are
generally insoluble and such tests of wisdom as appeal not to wit
and understanding, but to knowledge--which are certainly not true
riddles. Thus, in the group here characterized as 'false' different
classes of things are brought together, the characteristics of which
I shall investigate later." It would be interesting to quote the
author's discussion further. We can, however, only state that he
recognizes three classes of "false riddles," to which he gives the
names "wisdom tests," "life-ransoming riddles," and "catch-questions."
Of "true riddles" there is a vast variety of form and content. Most
typical is the descriptive riddle of a single object to be guessed. In
its complete and normal form Petsch claims that such a riddle
consists of five elements or parts. 1 Introduction; 2 denominative;
3 descriptive; 4 restraint or contrast; 5 conclusion. 1 and 5 are
merely formal, trimmings; 2 and 3 are inherent and essential; 4
is common and adds vigor and interest. Such complete and "normal"
riddles are rare in any language. Usually one or more of the five
elements are lacking. It is only by such an analysis of riddle forms
that a comparative study of riddles can be made. Any single riddle is
best understood, by the constant holding before the mind this pattern
framework and noting the degree of development of the case in hand.
The Filipinos themselves recognize several classes of riddles. An
old Tagal lady told us there were three kinds:
1. _Alo-divino_: concerning God and divine things
2. _Alo-humano_: concerning persons
3. _Parabula_: all others
There is no science in this classification, which embodies considerable
corrupted Spanish. Another informant recognizes six classes:
1. _Alo-divino_
2. _Historia-vino:_ history of God and saints
3. _Alo-humano_
4. _Historia-mano_: history of persons.
5. _Karle-mano_: God and saints and persons together.
6. _Parabula_ or _biniyabas_.
These names call for little comment and the classification they
embody is of the loosest. The word _parabula_ is Spanish in source
and equivalent to our parable; _biniyabas_ is Tagal.
Some features of our riddles call for comment. Filipino riddles, in
whatever language, are likely to be in poetical form. The commonest
type is in two well-balanced, rhyming lines. Filipino versification is
less exacting in its demand in rhyme than our own; it is sufficient if
the final syllables contain the same vowel; thus Rizal says--_ayup_
and _pagud_, _aval_ and _alam_, rhyme. The commonest riddle verse
contains five or seven, or six, syllables, thus:
Daluang balon
hindi malingon
or
Bahay ni San Gabriel
punong puno nang barel.
Just as in European riddles certain set phrases or sentences are
found frequently at the beginning or end of the riddle. In Ilocano
and Pangasinan a common introductory form is "What creature of
God" or "What thing made by Lord God," the expression in reality
being equivalent to a simple "what." These pious forms do not at all
necessarily refer either to animals or natural objects; thus, a boat or
a house is just as good a "creature of God" as a fowl is. A common form
of ending is "Tell it and I am yours," "Guess it and I am your man."
Quite analogous to calling inanimate or artificial things "creatures
of God" is the personification of all sorts of things, animate and
inanimate; thus, a rat is "an old man," a dipper is "a boy." Not
infrequently the object or idea thus personified is given a title of
respect; thus, "Corporal Black" is the night. Akin to personification
is bold metaphor and association. In this there may or may not be
some evident analogy; thus a crawfish is "a bird," the banca or canoe
is "rung" (like a bell.) Not uncommonly the word "house" is used of
anything thought of as containing something; thus "Santa Ana's house,"
"San Gabriel's house;" this use is particularly used in speaking
of fruits. "Santa Ana's house is full of bullets" is rather pretty
description for the papaya. The word "work" is often used for a thing
made, or a manufactured article.
Saints' names are constantly introduced, generally in the possessive
case; examples are "Santa Ana's house," "Santa Maria's umbrella,"
"San Jose's canes." Less commonly the names of other Bible worthies
occur; thus "Adam's hair." There is not always any evident fitness in
the selection of the Saint in the connection established. San Jose's
connection with rain is suitable enough. One would need to know a
good deal regarding local and popular hagiography in order to see to
what degree the selections are appropriate.
Sometimes words without meaning, or with no significance in the
connection where they occur are used. These may serve merely
to fill out a line or to meet the demands of metre. Such often
appear to be names of the style of "Humpty Dumpty;" these may be
phonetically happy, as similar ones often are in European riddles,
fitting well with the word or idea to be called up. _Marabotania_
is probably meaningless, merely for euphony. Place names with no real
connection with the thought are frequently introduced, as Pantaleon,
Mariveles. "_Guering-guering_" and "_Minimin_" are merely for sound.
Particularly interesting and curious are the _historia-vino_ given
in numbers 312-317. No doubt there are many such. Those here given
were secured from one boy at Malolos. When first examined, I believed
the boy had not understood what I was after. He assured me that they
were _bugtong_ and _bugtong_ of the best and finest class. The idea
in these is to propound a statement in a paradoxical form, which
calls for some reference to a bible story or teaching; the answer is
not immediately clear and demands a commentary which is quite often
subtle and ingenious. Friedreich gives examples of similar expository
religious riddles from Europe.
A curious group are the relationship riddles, numbers 286-289, which
closely resemble trick questions among ourselves. The evidence of
outside influence is here conclusive in the fact that the ideas and
terms of relationship in them are purely European, in nowise reflecting
the characteristic Malayan system and nomenclature.
Some of the riddles are distinctly stupid. "I let the sun shine on
your father's back" seems to mean no more than that the house roof
is exposed to the solar rays. It is doubtful whether this means much
even in the original Tagal. Of course many of the riddles demand
for their adequate understanding a knowledge of native customs,
which the outsider rarely has. Thus, until one knows a common method
of punishing naughty children, the riddle "I have a friend; I do
not like to face him" means nothing. Perhaps the most difficult to
adequately present are some plays on words. These frequently need a
considerable explanation. In some of these the parts of the word to
guess are concealed in or are suggested by the form of the statement
and one must extract them and combine them; such are "_iscopidor_" and
"_sampaloc_." In others the play depends upon homophony, the same sound
or word have different meanings. In yet a third class the answer is a
smart Aleck sort of an affair, "How do you take a deer without net,
dogs, spear, or other things for catching?" "Cooked." Most inane
of all, but with plenty of analogues among ourselves, are those
where the answer itself is introduced into the question with the
intention to mislead; "Its skin is green and its flesh is red like
a watermelon." "Watermelon."
Filipino riddles are mostly given out by young people. When several
are gathered together they will question and answer; they are much in
vogue when a young gentleman calls upon his sweetheart; among Tagals
and Pampangans at least the chief occasion for giving _bugtong_ is when
a little group are watching at night beside a corpse. In propounding
a riddle it is not uncommon to challenge attention by repeating as
witty a rhyme, which is quite as often coarse as witty. One Tagal
example runs:
Bugtong co ka Piro!
Turan mo ka Baldo!
Pag hindi mo naturan
Hindi ca nang iwang;
Pag maturan mo
May tae ang puit mo.
I have a bugtong compadre P!
Guess it compadre B!
If you cannot guess it
You have not cleaned yourself;
If you do not guess it
You are dirty.
We have mentioned two references to Malay riddles. Of the eight given
in Rizal's paper five have been given us by our informants. As Rizal's
entire paper will be reprinted in another volume of this series we have
not copied the other three. Sibree's paper is important for comparison,
since it presents matter drawn from the uttermost point of Malaysia,
Madagascar, which has been unaffected by Spanish influence. Sibree's
article is translated from a little book by another missionary, the
Rev. Louis Dahle. Dahle's book is entitled _Specimens of Malayasy
Folklore_ and its material is presented in Malagasy only. Mr. Sibree
translates twenty of his riddles. They are in character and flavor
like many of the Filipino riddles. As Sibree does not give the native
text and I have not seen Dahle's book, I cannot know whether they
are rhymed. They are all of the type of true riddles to be guessed,
descriptions wherein one or two characteristics or striking features
are presented, either directly or figuratively. Examination of this
little series deepens an impression already made by study of our own
collection, namely, that the true riddles in our series are largely
original Filipino while the insoluble riddles, the catches, the plays
on words, are those where foreign influence is most evident. Although
Sibree's article is easily accessible, we quote a few of these Malagasy
examples for comparison.
"Cut and no wound seen?" "Water," is our number 231.
"The mother says let us stand up, but the children say let us lie
across?" "A ladder." and "At night they come without being fetched
and by day they are lost, without being stolen?" "The stars." are
quite in the style and spirit of Filipino riddles. Compare "Coarse
rafia cloth outside and white robe inside?" "Manioc root" with the
"Poor outside; rich within," "Langca" of the Ilocano.
The order of presentation of these riddles has been a considerable
problem. To arrange them rigidly in Petsch's order of development
might have been fairly satisfactory but would have rendered the
finding of any desired riddle difficult. We have struck out a
crude arrangement in alphabetical order of the English answers,
with subdivisions under some general headings. The arrangement is
not scientific nor completely developed, but it will perhaps work
fairly well in practice. The original text is first given for riddle
and answer; the English translation of both follows; then are given
such explanation and comment as are necessary. When a riddle occurs
in different languages, the text of the question is given in one,
but the fact of its occurrence in others is indicated.
We are indebted to many for assistance. The list is too long for
individual acknowledgment. To our original Ilocano helpers this little
book is dedicated. To Messrs. George T. Shoens, Francisco A. Santos
(Calumpit), Rufino Santos (Arayat) and Conrado Benitez (Pagsanghan),
we are so deeply indebted that their names must be mentioned. To school
boys in Agoo, San Fernando (Union), Malolos, Manila and Tayug, we owe
many thanks. Would that the publication of this imperfect collection
might lead to their greater interest in a neglected section of their
folklore. Some Malay worker ought to perfect and complete the work
here begun.
This volume is the first number of a series of little books which the
undersigned plans to bring out under the general title of _Philippine
Studies_. Each number will treat of a distinct and separate subject;
each will be independent. The extent to which the series will be
developed, will depend upon the reception given to it and the degree
in which it appears to respond to a real need. Two numbers at any
rate are already arranged and the second should appear within a year.
Frederick Starr.
September, 1909.