3
Riddles
Textbook: pp. 16–20
GoalLearn what a riddle is and how to find its hidden meaning.
New words
riddle · topishmoqriddle (another name) · jumboqhidden meaning · yashirin ma’noriddle (classical term) · chiston
Explanation
A riddle (topishmoq) is a small folk work in which the signs of a thing or event are described in a hidden way and the listener must find the answer. It is also called topmacha, jumboq and matal, and in classical literature the term “chiston” was used. Because the description is figurative, you must compare the signs carefully to find the answer. Riddles sharpen thinking and attention. The answer is often an everyday object, but it is described in a strange way.
Worked examples
Example: “green in summer, yellow in autumn, bare in winter” – the signs fit a tree; the answer is a tree.
Example: if a riddle says “many eyes at night”, it may describe the stars – that is the hidden meaning.
Class activity
“My own riddle”: in pairs write 2–3 signs of a simple object (e.g., a pencil); the neighbouring pair guesses the answer.
Practice
1
Name other names of the riddle.
Topmacha, jumboq, matal.
2
What was the riddle called in classical literature?
Chiston.
3
Find the object for the signs: hollow, holes on top, makes sound (one word).
For example: a flute-like instrument (nay).
4
Why must we compare signs to solve a riddle?
Because the description is figurative; only the sum of the signs reveals the hidden object.