Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills/Book 2/Riddles and Ditties
Riddles and Ditties. 謎子，歌兒 mi tzŭ, ko êrh.
<poem> 青幽幽 黑洞洞 十個牯牛拉不動 Of a dark green, in a black cave, which ten oxen cannot move, What is it? (A well.)
千節節 萬節節 千年萬年不落葉 With a thousand joints, even ten thousand joints. For a thousand or ten thousand years it does not lose its leaves. (The bamboo.)
金篼篼 銀絲絲 一搥打開四姊妹 A golden and silver floss: one stroke of the hammer and it becomes four sisters. (A walnut.)
十姊妹 同路耍 各人頭上頂片瓦 Ten little sisters went out for a walk, On the crown of each a tile is fixed. (The fingers.)
頭戴紅頂子 身穿白袍子 走路很斯文 説話像蠻子 On his head he wears a red button, his body is clothed with a white robe, his walk is like an elegant scholar's, but his talk is like a barbarian's. (The goose.)
各家窩頭一個蕩 一根白蛇在裏頭放 要死要死又掇他一棒 In each family niche there is a pool, in which a pure white snake doth loll. When it is about to die, just strike it a bang. (The lamp.)
生喫得 熟喫得 放在地下又走得 It can be eaten raw, or eaten cooked; when put on the ground it can walk. (Water.)
黃牛給黑牛一頭睡 黃牛的舌頭餂黑牛的背 The yellow cow slept by the side of the black cow, The yellow cow’s tongue licked the black cow’s back. (The kettle by the stove.)
The flea: (A louse’s remonstance.)— 尖嘴黑殼 這戳那戳 戳出禍來你跑脫 With a peaked jaw and black coat, here a rive and there a bite; when the trouble has been stirred up you make a jump and clear out.
The louse. (The flea's retaliation.)— 六脚白米 自家走不得 要怪張怪李 You six-footed white rice, who cannot even walk by yourself. You are always blaming Chang or Li. </poem>
The Orange Blossom.
柑子樹兒開白花 團團圓圓姊妹家
天晴下雨請來耍 唸個佛句當燒茶
The blossoms of the orange tree, whose petals white sweet sisters be,
In rain or in sunshine how welcome you’ll be
Just sing a chant and I’ll bring you your tea.
Heaven, Earth and Water.
天生綉綉 地生縵縵 水生骨頭
Heaven produces the variegated, Earth begets the unadorned, Water begets bones.
Natural Wisdom.
一個雀 雀飛上坡 一個雀 雀飛下坡 三歲孩兒會唱歌 不是爹娘告訴我 是我自己聰明多
One little birdie flies up the hill, another little birdie flies down the hill; a three-year old child is able to sing, not what the parents teach it, but what natural wisdom prompts.
The Twelve Months.—
| 正月十五湯圓子 | 二月驚蟄抱蠶子 | 三月清明墳標子 |
| 四月芒種栽秧子 | 五月端陽喫糭子 | 六月六來扇扇子 |
| 七月半 燒箔子 | 八月中秋喫餅子 | 九月重陽醪糟子 |
| 十月初一穿襖子 | 冬月間烤烘籠子 | 臘月三十貼對子 |
On the 15th of the first moon we eat sweet dumplings.
In the second moon the insects stir and we feed silk worms.
In the third moon comes clear brightness and we put up grave-flags.
In the fourth moon is the busy season and we plant rice.
In the fifth moon comes the dragon festival and we eat rice dumplings.
In the sixth moon comes the great heat and we use our fans.
In the seventh moon there is a festival and we burn paper money.
In the eighth moon is the mid-autumn festival and we eat moon cakes.
In the ninth moon there comes a festival and we eat fermented rice.
In the tenth moon the cold comes and we put on our wadding.
In the eleventh moon it gets colder and we light our fire-baskets.
In the twelfth moon comes the time to put up New Year scrolls.
The digits.—
大指拇 二指弟 中三娘 王夥契 身小巴兒子出不得氣
<poem> 京竹椏 苦竹椏 對門對戶對親家 親家兒子會跑馬 親家女會剪花 大姊剪的靈芝草 二姊剪的牡丹花 三姊剪不來 丟下剪刀紡棉花 紡了三丈三大哥 二哥縫件夏布衫 三哥說我心不平 把我嫁在高山苦竹林 要柴燒柴又高 要水喫水又深 打涇花鞋不當緊 打涇羅裙一千針 The green bamboo and the bitter bamboo Were intermarried relations living in opposite doors.
The sons on one side were brave cavaliers The daughters on the other were clever at flowers;
The eldest was good at the orchid bud,
The second was good at the peony rose,
But though the third did try she was not any good,
So she mounted the loom to weave cotton cloth,
And wove to the length of thirty-three feet.
Then the elder and second brothers both made them a gown.
But the third brother said My lot is unfair;
You've married me up the high hill in the bamboo grove.
If you want fuel to burn, that fuel is high,
If you want water to drink that well is deep;
To wet the flowered shoes is of little import,
But to wet the gauze skirts costs a thousand threads.
New Year good luck.—
新春大發財 二十四個元寶輥進來
輥進不輥出 金銀財寶堆滿屋.
May the New Year bring you the greatest of luck,
With the twenty-four pieces of silver rolling into your lap;
Rolling in but not rolling out, till
Gold, Silver and riches fill up the house.
新春新春 財發萬金 說好就好 添財進寶.
In the New Year, The New Year,
May your riches increase ten thousand fold;
When you say lucky may it be luck,
Adding to your riches and bringing in gold.—
The New Year scrolls of the New Year feast.—
新年對子新年節 門神對子兩邊貼
門神對子貼得高 金銀財寶幾大包
門神對子貼得矮 金銀財寶幾大塊
On both sides of the door are scrolls and gods;
If the scrolls and gods are put up high,
Gold, silver and riches will come in great array;
If the scrolls and gods are put up low,
Gold, silver and riches still continue to grow.
The farm servant.—
清早起來就上山 At the dawn of day he goes up the hill,
栳杷鋤頭把地翻 Carrying a mattock to till the ground;
世人沒我長年苦 The farm servant's lot is bitter indeed,
臉朝黃土背朝天 With his back to the sky and face to the mud.