Original scientific paper

THE RIDDLE: AN EXAMPLE OF CIRCULATING WATER

Vilko Endsrtrasser ; Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research, Zagren, Croatia

Abstract

A riddle from the Croatian Renaissance poem by Petar Hektorović,
Fishermen and Fishing Talk, is compared in this paper with the
riddle from the Vedic Hymn RV I 164. The riddle has typological
similarity in that they deal with the theme of circulating water. The
cosmogonic riddle, the metaphor and the annual cycle are also
discussed in the text.
In the first part of the paper, a brief outline is given of the issues
connected with the relationship between the riddle and other genres,
as well as a short description of the literary-theoretical aspects of
the metaphor. This is followed by excerpts and examples of
cosmogonic riddles with the theme of circulating water and the
annual cycle, presented through the image of the World Tree, in
which such riddles are observed in the ritual context of archaic social
structures. The final passages deal with examples from modern
times.

Keywords

riddle; metaphor; myth

Hrčak ID:

33478

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/33478

Publication date:

13.6.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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