A Little Book of Filipino Riddles Part 44

Cung hindi lamang ang tatlong letra t, o, at s ay kinakain sana siya.

(Tag.) Asintos

But for the letters t o s we would be eating it.

(String)

The word _asintos_ means string; dropping the letters _tos_ we have _asin_ left, meaning salt.

410. Bugtong pasmiasa, puno at duloi may bunga.

(Tag.) Calamias

Bugtong pas"mias"a, whose trunk and branches have fruit.

Calamias

Bugtong is a riddle: the word pas"mias"a has no meaning. There is here a mere play on the sound of words. "Pas"mias"a suggests the answer.

411.

Casano iti panangtiliu iti ugsa a di masapul iti silo, aso, gayang, oen no a aniaman a paniliu?

(Iloc.) Urayec a maloto

How do you take a deer without net, dogs, spear, or other things for catching?

Cooked

412.

Laguiung tao, laguiung manuc, delana ning me tung a yayup.

(Pamp.) Cula.s.sisi

The name of a man, the name of a chicken, were carried by a bird.

_Culas_ is a man's name; _sisi_ the name of a chicken. Combined they make a bird's name.

413.

Indi sapat indi man tano apang, ang ngalan nia si "esco."

(Bis.,--also Tag.) Escopidor, Escopeta.

Neither animal nor man but its name is "esco."

Escopidor, Escopeta

A mere play on the words. _Esco_ is a nickname for Francisco. The _escupidor_ is a cuspidor, the _escopeta_ a broom. The meaning of the words goes for nothing. The words are both of Spanish origin.

414.

Macatu ti poonna, rugac iti ngo-duna.

(Iloc.) Macaturugac

Macatu = cloth Rugac = old, rotten clothing

Cloth is the beginning; tatters the ending.

i.e. _Macatu_ is the beginning, _rugac_ the ending. The whole word means I am sleeping.

415.

Salapi iti poona; ngao ti nG.o.dona.

(Iloc.) Salapingao

(Fifty cents) _Salapi_ is the beginning; ( ) _ngao_ the end.

The _Salapingao_ is a bird "like a swallow."

416.

Sinampal co bago inaloc.

(Tag.) Sampaloc

I slapped before I offered.

Sampaloc

There is simple word play here; the beginning and end of the riddle give the word S(in)ampal-oc. The Sampaloc is a fruit tree.

NOTES

[1] A species of bambu; firm, slender and high.

[2] a flower.