Tests

2,753 motifs · page 7 of 14

• Riddle: what is softest? H652
• What is softest? The hand. (In order to lie soft one places his hand between the head and the pillow.) H652.1
• What is softest? Mother's bosom. H652.2
• Riddle: what is the fattest? H653
• What is the fattest? The earth. H653.1
• Riddles of the superlative – miscellaneous. H659
• Riddle: what is oldest? H659.1
• What is oldest? God. H659.1.1
• Riddle: what four things are hardest to hold? H659.2
• What four things are hardest to hold? Wolf by eyebrows, bear by claws, snake by tail, hawk by beak. H659.2.1
• Riddle: what are best and worst stones? H659.3
• What are best and worst stones? Best: altar, whetstone, millstone; worst: hailstone, stone in the eye, gallstone. H659.3.1
• Riddle: what is the best fowl? H659.4
• What is the best fowl? The goose, since it makes the cabbage sweet and the bed soft. H659.4.1
• Riddle: what is best religion – Christian or Mohammedan? H659.5
• What is best religion – Christian or Mohammedan? They are equally good: as both eyes are equally dear to you, so are both religions to God. (Cf. J1262.9.) H659.5.1
• Riddle: what kind of work occupies most men? H659.6
• What kind of work occupies most men? Healing, for every sick man practices this. H659.6.1
• Riddle: what is greatest? H659.7
• What is greatest? Fame. H659.7.1
• What is the greatest? A sense of shame. H659.7.2
• What is the greatest? Charity. H659.7.3
• What is the greatest villainy? Stealing. H659.7.4
• What is moistest? The south wind. H659.8
• Riddle: what is wisest? H659.9
• What is wisest? Time. H659.9.1
• Riddle: what is most general? H659.10
• What is most general? Hope. H659.10.1
• Riddle: what is most useful? H659.11
• What is most useful? Excellence. H659.11.1
• Riddle: what is most shameful? H659.12
• What is most shameful? Cowardice. H659.12.1
• Riddle: what is most pleasant? H659.13
• What is most pleasant? Love. (In spite of childbirth pains women continue becoming pregnant.) H659.13.1
• Riddle: what is easiest? H659.14
• What is easiest? The natural. H659.14.1
• Riddle: what is the hardest to skin? H659.15
• What is the hardest to skin? The male member. H659.15.1
• Who are the best painters? Women (in the art of make-up). H659.16
• Riddle: what is the best time to eat? For the rich man, when he wishes; for the poor man, when he has something to eat. H659.17
• What are the most accursed things? H659.18
• What are the most accursed things? A thriftless wife, a baldheaded daughter, a sour-faced daughter-in-law, a crooked axle, and a field which lies across the village road. H659.18.1
• What is the most difficult to find and the most difficult to lose? The truth. H659.19
• Who are really irresistible? Meat and drink. H659.20
• Who are really meek? Cows and daughters. H659.21
• Which is best, domestic or ascetic life? With good wife domestic life is best. H659.22
• Which is the best of flowers? Cotton. H659.23
• What is the finest jewel? H659.24
• What is most faithful thing in world? H659.25
• What is most faithless thing in world? H659.26
• Riddles of comparison. H660
• Riddle: what is swifter than a bird, the wind or lightning? The eye. (Cf. H632.2.) H661
• Riddle: what is dearer than gold? Mother love. (Cf. H651.2.) H662
• Riddle: what is whiter than a swan? An angel. H663
• Riddle: what is sweeter than honey? (Cf. H633.) H671
• Riddle: what is softer than swan down? (Cf. H652.1.) H672
• Riddle: what is harder than stone? (Cf. H637.) H673
• Who is greater than God? Man's purpose. H674
• Riddles of distance. H680
• Riddles of terrestrial distance. H681
• Riddle: how far is it from one end of the earth to the other (east to west)? H681.1
• How far is it from one end of the earth to the other? A day's journey, since the sun makes it daily. H681.1.1
• Riddle: how deep is the earth (or how far to lower world)? H681.2
• How deep is the earth? It is deep: my grandfather went into it (died) years ago and has not yet returned. H681.2.1
• How deep is the earth? My father went five years ago to measure it (died); when he returns I shall tell you the result. H681.2.2
• Riddle: what is the center of the earth? H681.3
• Where is the center of the earth? Here; if you don't believe it, measure it yourself. H681.3.1
• Where is the center of the earth? Here, for the earth is round and any point can serve as center. H681.3.2
• Riddle: how deep is the sea? H681.4
• How deep is the sea? A stone's throw. H681.4.1
• How deep is the sea? At first, knee-deep; further on, waist-deep, neck-deep; and beyond that over the head. H681.4.2
• Riddles of heavenly distance. (Cf. A658.) H682
• Riddle: how far is it from earth to heaven? H682.1
• How far is it from earth to heaven? A day's journey, since Christ went to heaven in one day. (A half-day's journey, similar reason). H682.1.1
• How far is it from earth to heaven? A day's journey, since there is no inn to stop at on the way. H682.1.2
• How far is it from earth to heaven? So and so high, and if you don't believe it, measure it yourself. H682.1.3
• How far is it from earth to heaven? As far as you can see. H682.1.4
• How far is it from earth to heaven? As far as from heaven to earth. H682.1.5
• How far is it from earth to heaven? Not far; when it thunders there it can be heard here. H682.1.6
• How far from earth to heaven? A calf's (fox's) tail, if it were long enough. H682.1.7
• How far from earth to heaven? A leg's length, for it is written, Heaven is my throne and earth my footstool. H682.1.8
• How far from earth to heaven? One step, for they say, He stands with one foot in the grave and one in heaven. H682.1.9
• How far from earth to heaven? The devil knows for he has fallen this distance. H682.1.10
• Riddle: how wide is heaven? H682.2
• How wide is heaven? So and so wide, and if you do not believe it, go measure it yourself. H682.2.1
• How many exits from paradise? H682.3
• Riddle: how far is it from happiness to misfortune? H685
• How far is it from happiness to misfortune? One day; yesterday I was herdsman and now I am abbot. (Cf. H561.2.) H685.1
• Riddles of weight and measure. H690
• Riddles of weight. H691
• Riddle: how much does the moon weigh? H691.1
• How much does the moon weigh? A pound, for it has four quarters. H691.1.1
• How much does the moon weigh? So and so much, and if you don't believe it go and weigh it yourself. H691.1.2
• Riddle: how heavy is the earth? H691.2
• How heavy is the earth? Take away all the stones and I will weigh it. H691.2.1
• Riddles of measure. H696
• Riddle: how much water is in the sea? H696.1
• How much water is in the sea? Stop all the rivers and I will measure it. H696.1.1
• How much water is in the sea? So and so much, and if you don't believe it, go measure it yourself. H696.1.2
• How much water is in the sea? A tub-full if the tub is large enough. H696.1.3
• How many measures of water are in the river? H696.1.4
• Riddles of numbers. H700
• Riddle: how many seconds in eternity? H701
• How many seconds in eternity? A bird carries a grain of sand from a mountain each century; when the whole mountain is gone, the first second of eternity has passed. (Cf. D791.1.2, H1583, X950.2, Z61.) H701.1
• Riddle: how many stars in the heavens? H702
• How many stars in the heavens? As many as the grains of sand; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. H702.1
• How many stars in the heaven? Two million; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. H702.1.1
• How many stars in the heavens? As many as the hairs in the head; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. H702.2
• How many stars in the heavens? As many as the hairs in the goatskin (on a donkey). H702.2.1
• How many stars in the heavens? As many as the points on paper; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. H702.3
• Riddle: how many hairs are in the head? H703
• How many hairs are there in the head? As many as are in the tail of my ass; if you don't believe it we will keep pulling out one hair from your beard and one from his tail. H703.1
• Riddle: how many drops in the sea. (Cf. H696.1.1.) H704
• Riddle: how many leaves are on the tree? H705
• How many leaves are on the tree? As many as there are stems for. H705.1
• How many leaves are on the tree? So and so many; and if you don't believe it, go count them. H705.2
• How many leaves are on the tree? Counterquestion: how many stars in the sky? (Cf. H702.) H705.3
• Riddle: how many days have passed since the time of Adam? H706
• How many days have passed since the time of Adam? The seven days of the week. H706.1
• Riddle of dates. H707
• When were you born? Its beginning is like its end, its top like its bottom (1691). H707.1
• Are there more men or women in the world? H708
• Riddles of value. H710
• Riddle: how much am I (the king) worth? H711
• How much am I (the king) worth? Twenty-nine pieces of silver, for Christ was sold for thirty. (Cf. H716.) H711.1
• Riddle: how much is my beard (king's) worth? H712
• How much is king's beard worth? The months July, August, and September. H712.1
• How much is king's beard worth? A May rain (three rains in summer). H712.2
• Riddle: how much is a golden plow (throne, crown, palace) worth? H713
• How much is a golden plow (throne, crown, palace) worth? A rain in May. H713.1
• Riddle: how much does the sun earn for his daily work? H715
• How much does the sun earn for his daily work? A day's wages. H715.1
• Riddle: how much is a certain crucifix worth? Twenty-nine pieces of silver. (Cf. H711.1.) H716
• Metaphorical riddles. H720
• Riddle of the year. H721
• Riddle: tree with twelve branches, each with thirty leaves, black and white. Year, month, days and nights. H721.1
• Riddle: tree with leaves white on one side and black on other. Year made up of nights and days. H721.2
• Riddle: twelve cypresses with thirty boughs each. Years and months. H721.3
• Riddle: palace consisting of 8760 stones; twelve trees, thirty branches, each with black and white cluster of grapes. Year, months, days, hours. H721.4
• Riddle of the day and night. (Cf. H721.1, H721.2, H721.4.) H722
• Riddle: white brother, black sister: every morning brother kills sister; every evening sister kills brother; they never die. (Day and night.) H722.1
• Riddle: black and white horses chasing each other. (Day and night.) H722.2
• Riddle of the course of the sun. H725
• Riddle: bird nests on top of one cypress in morning, on top of another in evening. (Bird is the sun.) H725.1
• Riddle: who are the real travellers? The son and the moon. H726
• Riddle of king and courtiers. H731
• Riddle: king in red; courtiers in white. (Sun and its rays.) H731.1
• Riddle: king in white; courtiers in white. (Moon and stars.) H731.2
• Riddle: king in red; courtiers in different colors. (Spring and flowers.) H731.3
• Riddle: what is the mother who devours her children when they grow up? (Ocean and rivers.) H734
• Riddle white field, black seed. (Paper with writing.) H741
• Riddle: two legs, three legs, four legs. (Man, three-legged stool dog.) H742
• Riddle: four hang, four walk, two show the road, one wags behind. (Cow's teats, feet, eyes, tail.) (Other answers: cat, dog, horse, hog, etc.) H743
• Riddle: six legs, four ears, two faces, etc. (Horse and rider.) H744
• Riddle: bill white, horns on feet, knob on head (cock). H746
• Riddle: who of fourfold beard is he, of azure foot and neck so ruddy? Arrow. H751
• Riddle of the Sphinx: what is it that goes on four legs in the morning, on two at midday, and on three in the evening. (Man, who crawls as a child, walks in middle life, and walks with a stick in old age.) H761
• Riddle: two are better than three (two legs better than man with staff in old age). H761.1
• Riddle: what is the creature that is of all countries, that is loved by all the world, and that has no equal? (The sun.) H762
• Riddle: the father not yet born, the son already at the top of the house. (Flame and smoke.) H763
• Riddle: bird without feathers flies on tree without leaves. (Snow falls on bare tree.) H764
• From wooden spring iron bucket makes stones from which water flows. (Metal stick picks stone from eye. If you rub lids with it, tears come.) H765
• Allegorical riddles. H767
• Riddle: what is that thou passest over with haste? (The field of youth; the mountains of youth, etc.) H767.1
• What house gives no hostages, cannot be burned, and cannot be harried? (The fairy stronghold [sídh] of brugh na Boinne.) H768
• Riddles of explanation. H770
• Riddle: why is the hair gray before the beard? (It is twenty years older.) H771
• Riddle: why are there more days than nights? (The moon turns some nights into days.) H772
• Riddle: why are there more living than dead? (There are some of the dead of whom we still speak.) H773
• Riddle: why are there more women than men? (Some women make women [i.e., weaklings] of their husbands.) H774
• Riddles based on unusual circumstances. H790
• Riddle: a fish was my father; a man was my mother. (Man eats magic fish and becomes pregnant; a girl is taken from his knee.) H791
• Riddle of the unborn. I am unborn; my horse is unborn; I carry my mother on my hands. (A boy who has been taken from his dead mother's body digs up the body of his mother and makes gloves of her skin. He rides on a colt which has been taken from a dead mare's body.) H792
• Riddle: seven tongues in a head. (A horse's head in which a bird's nest is found with seven birds in it.) H793
• Relationship riddles arising from unusual marriages of relatives. H795
• Riddle: what does God do? H797
• What does God do? He brings low the proud and exalts the lowly (said by shepherd masking as bishop to king, who has exchanged places with him). (Cf. H562.) H797.1
• What does God do? God is astonished that I sit on a horse and the king on an ass (see H797.1). H797.2
• Riddle: one killed none and yet killed twelve. (Horse is poisoned; raven eats of him and dies; twelve robbers eat raven and die.) H802
• Riddle: deaths from sleepiness, anger, and greed. Elephant sleeps before snake's hole. Snake bites elephant and kills it. Jackal eats hole in elephant and is caught inside. Snake can't get out of its hole. H803
• Riddle: from the eater came forth meat and from the strong sweetness. (Swarm of bees and honey in lion's carcass.) H804
• Riddle of the murdered lover. With what thinks, I drink; what sees, I carry; with what eats I walk. (Queen has cup made from skull of her murdered lover; ring with one of his eyes; she carries two of his teeth in her boots.) H805
• Riddle: drink this wine which a bird took to nest. (Stork took bunch of grapes to nest; boy makes wine from them.) H806
• Formerly I was daughter, now I am mother; I have a son who was the husband of my mother. (Girl has nursed her imprisoned father through a crack in the prison wall.) H807
• Riddles based on the Bible or legend. H810
• Riddle: who first spun and when? (Eve.) H811
• Riddle: what were the clothes of Adam and Eve? (Their hair.) H812
• Riddle: who, having neither father nor mother, are dead? (Adam and Eve.) H813
• Riddle: who, having had father and mother, is not dead? (Elias.) H814
• Riddle: who, having had father and mother, is not dead like other mortals? (Lot's wife.) H815
• Riddle: who has had, here below, two names? (Jacob-Israel.) H817
• Riddle: what was the walking tomb with the living tenant? (Jonah and the whale.) H821
• Riddle: what is the land that has seen the sun only once? (The bottom of the Red Sea during the passage of the Israelites.) H822
• What is the land that has seen the sun only once? (The land on which the waters were gathered after the creation.) H822.1
• What is the tree that became flesh? (Moses's staff.) H823
• Riddle: what is that which has drunk water for its sustenance and eaten after its death? (Moses's staff, which became a serpent.) H824
• Riddle: the king is surrounded by his nobles; what is this like? (The idol Bel surrounded by the priests of the god.) H825
• Riddle: what did Christ do in his 30th year? Answer: entered into his thirty-first. (Cf. H865.) H826
• Riddle: what does the king of the world of the Devas do? Punishes the bad people. H827
• What three not born of male and female ate and drank on earth? (Angels who visited Abraham.) H828