Items of Armenian Folk-Lore collected in Boston. 101
When one is bewitched, if a piece of the witch's garment can be cut off and burned so that the bewitched person may sniff the smoke from it, he will recover.
If one person meets another individual regularly as he goes to or from his work, and he continually has either good or bad luck, he will attribute it to this individual ; or if on the days he meets him his luck is the reverse of what it is on the days when he does not meet him, then the result is the same.
Trees are prevented from being bewitched by putting the skulls of horses or dogs on them. These protect the tree from evil influences and insure its fruitfulness.
RIDDLES.
What is that of which the outside is silver and the inside is gold ?
An egg.
I am a small house and my navel is yellow ?
An egg.
What is that which is brought by a man, is full of nuts, has no tongue, and yet speaks like a man ?
A letter.
When I brought it from market it was one, but when I got it home it was more than a hundred ?
A pomegranate.
I have a grandmother who walked all day, and when she got home took up no more space than could be covered by a penny ?
A cane.
There is a long intestine which has a flower on its end ?
A lighted candle. 1
Two faucets running, and five brothers catching the water ?
Blowing the nose.
It is a long tree, but it has no shade ?
A river.
I put five pounds of peas under my head when I go to bed, but on awaking they are gone ?
The stars.
What is that which when alive ate grass, but when dead drank men's blood ?
Samson's jaw-bone of an ass.
All above is air, all around is water ; what is that ox from which was born a cow ?
Adam. 2
1 The above riddle is not for our wax candles, but corresponds to our old grease torch, which had the wick curled round and round like an intestine in the skillet or whatever vessel contained the grease.
2 Recited : Adam and Eve.
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