Riddles

The Tuva word for riddle is тывызык (tïvïzïk).

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Адыштаарга адышка өй,

Ажыптарга хову сыңмас.

(Карак).

Adïštaarga adïška öy, ažïptarga, xovu sïŋmas.

(Karak).

When having it in the palm of the hand, it fits the palm of the hand, upon opening it up, the steppe cannot contain it.

(Eye).

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Ала-була чакпалыг,

Алдын урук сөдүргелиг.

(Сааскан).

Ala-bula čakpalïg,

Aldïn uruk södürgelig.

(Saaskan).

It has dappled fins, it has a golden lasso pole and lasso.

(Magpie).

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Алдын терек он ийи адырлыг,

Үш чүс алдан беш бүрүлүг.

(Чыл, айлар, хонуктар).

Aldïn terek on iyi adïrlïg, üš čüs aldan beš bürülüg.

(Čïl, aylar, xonuktar).

A golden poplar has twelve branches and three hundred sixty five leaves.

(Year, months, days).

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Алдынын алдым,

Аптаразын кагдым.

(Чилиин алгаш, сөөгүн октапкан).

Aldïnïn aldïm,

Aptarazïn kagdïm.

(Čiliin algaš, söögün oktapkan).

I took its gold and cast off its chest.

(I took its marrow and threw away the bone).

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Аргада ак баштыг ашак олур.

(Харлыг төш).

Argada ak baštïg ašak olur.

(Xarlïg töš).

In the mountain forest sits a white headed old man.

(Snowy tree trunk).

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Аржымакка куткан ышкаш,

Адыр талга аскан ышкаш.

(Куш уязы).

Aržïmakka kutkan ïškaš,

Adïr talga askan ïškaš.

(Kuš uyazï).

Like one poured it into a wineskin, like one hang it in a forked willow.

(Bird’s nest).

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Арзылаң аг диди,

Арга бажы кызаш диди.

(Чаңнык).

Arzïlaŋ ag didi,

Arga bažï kïzaš didi.

(Čaŋnïk).

The lion roared, the top of the mountain forest flashed.

(Lightning).

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Артап болбас алдын өрген,

Дээп болбас демир өрген.

(Чылан).

Artap bolbas aldyn örgen,

Deep bolbas demir örgen.

(Čïlan).

A golden pole one should not step over, an iron pole one should not touch.

(Snake).

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Аштаан бе дээрге ак чаг богааланган,

Суксаан бе дээрге суг-далай ортузунда.

(Чумурда хан).

Aštaan be deerge ak čag bogaalangan,

Suksaan be deerge sug-dalay ortuzunda.

(Čumurda xan).

When saying has it become hungry: it put on a white greased scarf, when saying has it become thirsty: it is in the middle of the water of the sea.

(Blood in the abomasum (i.e. a blood sausage)).

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Аъдым демир, бодум демир, кымчы чокка дүшпес-даа мен.

(Шооча биле дүлгүүр).

Ahdïm demir, bodum demir, kïmčï čokka düšpes-daa men.

(Šooča bile dülgüür).

My horse is of iron, I myself am of iron, without a whip, I will not dismount.

(Lock and key).

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Барасканның бажын суйбаар,

Кулугурнуң кулаан долгаар.

(Бызаанчы).

Baraskannïŋ bažïn suybaar,

Kulugurnuŋ kulaan dolgaar.

(Bïzaančï).

Stroking the pauper's head, twisting the fellow's ears.

(Fiddle).

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Башкы буду маңнаан,

Соңгу буду шошкаан.

(Даараныр машина).

Baškï budu maŋnaan,

Soŋgu budu šoškaan.

(Daaranïr mašina).

The foot ahead ran, the food behind trotted.

(Sewing machine).

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Боду ак-даа болза, сагыжы кара.

(Хоран).

Bodu ak-daa bolza, sagïžï kara.

(Xoran).

It is white, yet its mind is black.

(Poison).

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Боду борбак,

Бижектен чидиг.

(Ок).

Bodu borbak, bižekten čidig.

(Ok).

It is round, yet sharper than a knife.

(Bullet).

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Боду борбак,

Боску теве.

(Хөнек).

Bodu borbak, bosku teve.

(Xönek).

It is round, yet [it has] a camel’s neck.

(Teapot).

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Борбуякта куткан ышкаш,

Бора талда аскан ышкаш.

(Ары өө).

Borbuyakta kutkan ïškaš,

Bora talda askan ïškaš.

(Arï öö).

Like one poured it in an abomasum, like one hang it in a grey willow.

(Wasp’s nest).

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Борбуякта куттунган,

Бора талда астынган.

(Ары өө).

Borbuyakta kuttungan,

Bora talda astïngan.

(Arï öö).

It poured itself in an abomasum (ruminant’s fourth stomach), it hang itself in a grey willow.

(Wasp’s nest).

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Бөдей өг мөңгүн хаяапчалыг.

(Чүрек).

Bödey ög möŋgün xayaapčalïg.

(Čürek).

The dilapidated yurt has silver felt strips (for shutting off the lower part of the lattice of the yurt).

(Heart).

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Ийде чартык өг.

(Кулак).

Iyde čartïk ög.

(Kulak).

On the slope is half a house.

(Ear).

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Ийи өгнүң чүлгүүжү чаңгыс.

(Инектиң думчуунуң ийи үдү биле дылы).

Iyi ögnüŋ čülgüüžü čaŋgïs.

(Inektiŋ dumčuunuŋ iyi üdü bile dïlï).

Two houses having one besom.

(A cow’s two nostrils and tongue).

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Казыра дег боттуг,

Калчаа далай ыыттыг.

(Сыын).

Kazïra deg bottug, kalčaa dalay ïïttïg.

(Sïïn).

Tall like a heifer, loud as the raging sea.

(Deer).

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Көъп кижи хүрээледи,

Хүрең аскыр чыраалады.

(Диштер болгаш дыл).

Köhp kiži xüreeledi, xüreŋ askïr čïraaladï.

(Dišter bolgaş dïl).

Many people surrounded it, the chestnut stallion ambled.

(Teeth and tongue).

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Менден биче мени аъткарды.

(Эзеңги).

Menden biče meni ahtkardï.

(Ezeŋgi).

Smaller than me, yet it puts me on the horse.

(Stirrup).

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Өйлеп-өйлеп көстүп келир,

Өң-баазын шокар тоннуг.

(Челееш).

Öylep-öylep köstüp kelir,

Öŋ-baazïn šokar tonnug.

(Čeleeš).

From time to time it shows up, having a multicoloured dappled dress.

(Rainbow).

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Өзен бажы кызаш диди,

Өштүг көк хыйт диди.

(Боонуң еттингени база бөрүнүң өлгени).

Özen bažï kïzaš didi,

Öštüg kök xïyt didi.

(Boonuŋ ettingeni baza börünüŋ ölgeni).

The end of a narrow gully flashed, the craving gray crashed.

(A gun’s shooting and a wolf’s death).

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Тии чок торгум,

Дижии чок чинчим.

(Дээр болгаш сылдыстар).

Tii čok torgum, dizii čok činčim.

(Deer bolgaš sïldïstar).

My silk is without seams, my beads are without string.

(Sky and stars).

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Улуг өгнүң иштинде биче өг,

Биче өгнүң иштинде булан чаагы.

(Идик, ук, бут).

Ulug ögnüŋ ištinde biče ög,

Biče ögnüŋ ištinde bulan čaagï.

(Idik, uk, but).

In the big house is a small house, in the small house is an elk’s jaw.

(Boot, stocking, foot).

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Чиңгир кызыл торгу тоннуг,

Чигир-чимис амданныг.

(Честек-кат).

Čiŋgir kïzïl torgu tonnug, čigir-čimis amdannïg.

(Čestek-kat).

It has a bright red silken dress, it has the taste of sugared fruit.

(Strawberry).

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Эртен дөрт буттаар,

Дүъште ийи буттаар,

Кежээ үш буттаар.

(Кижи).

Erten dört buttaar, dühšte iyi buttaar, kežee üš buttaar.

(Kiži).

In the morning it walks on four feet, at noon it walks on two feet, in the evening it walks on three feet.

(Man).