por I bring you a list of riddles in Nahuatl, an indigenous language thousands of years old that is still spoken and studied in schools in Latin America. It is currently spoken in Mexico by more than a million and a half people.
Nahuatl is the native language that existed in America before the colonization of the Spanish. As colonization spread, this language was lost and was replaced by Spanish.
Even so, it is one of the most widely spoken native languages in Mexico, with more than a million and a half speakers. It is believed that in the world, some 7 million people speak this pre-Columbian language.
Riddles in the Nahuatl indigenous language
Mo apachtsontsajka mitskixtiliya uan axke tikita?
Translation: what is it?, what is it? He takes off your hat and you don’t see it.
Answer: air.
Tlake, tlake, tsikuini uan tsikuini I still love tikajasi
Translation: what is it, what is it, that it jumps and you can’t reach it?
Answer: the rabbit.
Night kwak kiawi Notlakeenpatla
Translation: A very lively old man, every time it rains, he changes his dress.
Answer: the hill.
Maaske mas titlaakatl yes but mitschooktis
Translation: no matter how much of a man you are, it will make you cry.
Answer: onion.
Wi’ij tu jalk’esa’al, na’aj tu jaala’al
Translation: hungry they are taking her. Full they bring it loading.
Answer: a bucket.
Chak u paach, sak u ts’u’.
Translation: red-skinned. Inside whitewashed.
Answer: radish.
Zazan tleino, matlactin tepatlactli quimamamatimani. Here quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca tozti
Translation: what is the ten stones that one always carries around?
Answer: nails.
See tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil, see iixtetetsitsinte
Translation: guess, guesser, one-eyed is.
Answer: the needle.
Za zan tleino Tepetozcatl quitoca momamatlaxcalotiuh Papalotl
Translation: through the colorful valley, she flutters around clapping her hands like someone who throws tortillas.
Answer: the butterfly.
Lipan se tlakomoli, westok waan nokweptok, for oksee side
Translation: to the invited meal, even if it is a plate and spoon.
Answer: the tortilla.
Zazan tleino, xoxouhqui xicaltzintli, momochitl ontemi. Here qittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca ilhuicatl
Translation: what is a blue gourd, planted with roasted corn, which is called momochtli?
Answer: The starry sky
Ridxabe huaxhinni rixána be siado ´
Translation: a lady who wastes everything every day. She stops in the morning and gets pregnant at night.
Answer: the house.
Zazan tleino, icuitlaxcol quihuilana, tepetozcatl quitoca. Here quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca huitzmalot
Translation: what is the thing that goes through a valley, and carries the guts dragging?
Answer: the needle sewing.
See tosaasanil, see tosaasanil See ichpokatsin iitlakeen melaak pistik tomatl
Translation: why haven’t you guessed who is the girl, with the huipil so tight?
Answer: tomato.
Uñijximeajts ajtsaj ximbas salñuwindxey makiejp op saltsankan makiejp ñity.
Translation: wrapped leaf and tied with palm is my costume. In my mass body my meat heart you will find.
Answer: the tamale.
Zazan tleino, cuatzocoltzin mictlan ommati. Here quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca apilolli, ic atlacuihua
Translation: cantarillo de palo that knows the region of the dead.
Answer: the pitcher of water.
Ni cayúnini ma’cutiip i ni cazi’ni ma’ cayuuna ‘ni guiqu iiñenila ma’qué zuuyani
Translation: guess, guessing. The one who makes it, does it singing. He who buys it, buys it crying. The one who uses it is no longer spotting it.
Answer: the coffin.
Zan zan tleine cimalli itic tentica
Translation: small but billy, full of shields.
Answer: chili.
Za zan tleino Iztactetzintli quetzalli conmantica
Translation: Guess, guessing, what is like a white stone, that quetzal feathers sprout from it?
Answer: onion
Amalüw xik munxuey xik samal küty akiejp as najchow ximbas wüx satüng amb xa onds
Translation: you have to guess! My body is reed and in my belly I carry a mecapal. With tamemes I come and go from the sea. Loaded with fish and corn for breakfast, lunch and even dinner.
Answer: chestnut
Ñity ayaküw ximal xiel ayaküw xi lyej sanguoch atyily tyety nüty tyiel ximeajts axojtüw ñipilan
Translation: Palm is covered my mind. My wooden feet are. People rest in me, because I stop the sun’s rays.
Answer: the bower.
Tu laame, tu laame give chemen á pa me dooxqui’me
Translation: guess again! Who on her back carries guts that you even see?
Answer: shrimp.
Zazan tleino quetzalcomoctzin quetzalli conmantica
Translation: guess it if you can: gray hair to the tip and some green feathers.
Answer: onion.
Awijchiw xik tyiel ndyuk sajrrok tyiel yow atajtüw xik tyiel ndxup sawüñ ütyiw ñipilan
Translation: so that people can give their food. In a chiquihuite I have to dance, after launching myself and diving into the sea.
Answer: the cast net.
Tu laabe, tulaabe, rayan nibe nápabe dxitá xquibe
Translation: Who is it and who is it that on its neck carries its eggs upside down and upside down?
Answer: the palm tree.
Zazan tleino aco cuitlaiaoalli mouiuixoa.
Translation: round at the top and paunchy too, I shake myself and I’m screaming so you can dance.
Answer: the maraca.
Natyek umbas ñikands umeajts nanbyur ulük nangan mi kej.
Translation: you will have a feast… Green on the outside you will see me and black teeth on the inside you will find. You will eat from my sweet blood red heart, will you guess?
Answer: watermelon.
Xilaani, biétini lu dani, nápani chonna ne ti xiiñini
Translation: how do you see it? Under the hill And I have three feet. And a son who grinds How can you not see!
Answer: the mortar.
Wa na’atun na’ateche’ na’at le ba’ala’: Jump’éel ts’ool wukp’éel u jool
Translation. Guess, riddle: seven holes, one pumpkin.
Answer: the head.
Na´at le baola paalen: Ken xi iken si yaan jun tul joy kep K´eenken tu beelili
Translation: don’t you guess child: If you are going to cut firewood, a very lazy pig will look for you on the road.
Answer: honeycomb.
Lo:mah we:yak, ika ontlami ompakah o:me yeyekako:ntli
Translation: On a long hill there, where it ends, there are two caves from which air comes out.
Answer: the nose.
Se: tosa:sa:ne:l, se: tosa:sa:ne:l ma:s san ka:non niwa:le:wa, wan xpapalo tli:n nikpia
Translation: wherever I come from, lower my pants and lick what I have.
Answer: the handle.
Mimixtlamotsi, mimixtlamotsi, itik se tekorral nitotitok se kichkonetl
Translation: behind a stone fence there is a boy dancing.
Answer: the tongue.
Sa:sa:ni:l! -te:ntetl! Ipan se: tlakomohle miakeh michpe:petla:meh
Translation: -Gobber! On a plain There are many templates.
Answer: pumpkin seed
kuhtli, tlekowa se: totla:tla:katsi:n ika itambori:tah
Translation: A little man climbs a tree with his little drum.
Answer: the snail.
References
AMITH, Jonathan D. «As wide as your grandmother»: riddles in Nahuatl from the Guerrero Central.tlalocan, 2013, vol. 12.
DAKIN, Karen. Studies on the Nahuatl.Advances and Balances of Yutoaztecan Languages, INAH, Mexico, DF2001.