jueves, febrero 07, 2008

"The Lithuanias" han retornado

Another fun sentence in my readings. Does any one else think these random ending sentences are funny? From page 57:
A typical Lithuanian genre is raudos (lamentations), which are performed at sad, painful and tragic moments of life. The performer usually laments a person with whom he parts. It may be on the occasion of marriage, funeral, seeing off a soldier to war or a shepherd who is hired by a farmer.
Let me know if you like these. They brighten up my day a little.

On page 60 I have run across a few riddles from ancient Lithuania.
  1. White cockerels are fighting on a red perch.
  2. Though it lies day and night it never rots.
  3. It passes through fire but does not burn, it passes through water but does not sink, it passes through straw but it does not rustle.
  4. It has a mouth of bone, a beard of flesh, it is born twice, dies once and is not afraid of the devil.
  5. The father of riddles lies in a pool.
  6. Upon breaking the ice you find silver, upon breaking silver you find gold.
  7. The father has not yet born, but the son has gone grey.
You can find the answers here.

4 comentarios:

rebecca. dijo...

i really like all of this. the riddles are fantastic--and i do enjoy the random sentences. :D

Anónimo dijo...

hahaha, so weddings or farmers hiring shepherds are considered "sad, painful and tragic moments of life" in Lithuania?

Josué Greenman dijo...

Ironic isn't it? :D

Anónimo dijo...

I can see why weddings and farmers hiring shepherds would be sad... but maybe it's the way it's said that doesn't seem to make sense ;).
I really like these things that you post. It gives insight into Lithuanian culture in a unique way.