Beschrijving
Out-riddling the Judge. A man (woman) condemned to death is set free when the judge cannot solve the riddle propounded to him by the condemned person (by a relative of the condemned) [H542, R154.2.1]. The riddle refers to extraordinary or accidental events that happened to the person setting the riddle, and thus is unsolvable for outsiders. There are four main riddles:
(1) Samson riddle of the living in the dead, “From the eater came forth meat and from the strong sweetness” – Swarm of bees collects honey in a lion’s carcass [H804]. (“What has seven tongues in one head?” – Bird’s nest with seven young found in a horse’s head [H793]; “Drink this wine which a bird took to its nest” – A stork took a bunch of grapes to nest, and a boy makes wine from them [H806].)
(2) Riddle of the nursing daughter, “Formerly I was daughter, now I am mother; I have a son who was the husband of my mother” – Woman has nursed her imprisoned father (woman nurses her son, wife nurses another man) through a crack in the prison wall [H807, R81]. Cf. Type 985*.
(3) Ilo-riddle (propounded by a woman), “Love I sit, Love I stand; Love I hold, fast in hand; I see Love, Love sees not me. Riddle me that, or hanged I’ll be” – A woman has killed her dog named Love (Ilo); from its skin shoes, gloves and a chair-covering have been made; (“With what thinks, I drink; what sees, I carry; with what eats I walk” – A woman has killed her lover, from his skull a cup has been made, from one of his eyes a ring and she carries two of his teeth in her boots [H805]).
(4) Riddle of the unborn, “I am unborn; I ride the unborn (I eat the unborn)” – A boy was born by Caesarean section; he has a horse that was also born unnaturally (he eats the meat of an animal that was taken out of its dead mother’s body) [H792]. Cf. Type 851.
(1) Samson riddle of the living in the dead, “From the eater came forth meat and from the strong sweetness” – Swarm of bees collects honey in a lion’s carcass [H804]. (“What has seven tongues in one head?” – Bird’s nest with seven young found in a horse’s head [H793]; “Drink this wine which a bird took to its nest” – A stork took a bunch of grapes to nest, and a boy makes wine from them [H806].)
(2) Riddle of the nursing daughter, “Formerly I was daughter, now I am mother; I have a son who was the husband of my mother” – Woman has nursed her imprisoned father (woman nurses her son, wife nurses another man) through a crack in the prison wall [H807, R81]. Cf. Type 985*.
(3) Ilo-riddle (propounded by a woman), “Love I sit, Love I stand; Love I hold, fast in hand; I see Love, Love sees not me. Riddle me that, or hanged I’ll be” – A woman has killed her dog named Love (Ilo); from its skin shoes, gloves and a chair-covering have been made; (“With what thinks, I drink; what sees, I carry; with what eats I walk” – A woman has killed her lover, from his skull a cup has been made, from one of his eyes a ring and she carries two of his teeth in her boots [H805]).
(4) Riddle of the unborn, “I am unborn; I ride the unborn (I eat the unborn)” – A boy was born by Caesarean section; he has a horse that was also born unnaturally (he eats the meat of an animal that was taken out of its dead mother’s body) [H792]. Cf. Type 851.
Motief
H542
R154.2.1
H804
H793
H806
H807
R81
H805
H792
Commentaar
The Samson riddle (1) see O.T. (Judges XIV,12–20).
Combinaties
851, 922, and 931.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
927
Subgenre
sprookje