Riddles of Russian folk for children and adults

The riddle is a special kind of wit, which has always been given attention in society. This part of folklore was actively used for teaching, creating a certain mood and ideas for people of different age and position. Corresponding to the case of riddles Russian folk appeared in textbooks, books, magazines and newspapers, and also distributed orally.

Concept and features of the Russian people's puzzle

As a rule, riddles are understood as allegory in the form of a description of things or phenomena, given in an interrogative form. The addition of "Russian folk" implies that it appeared and is used in the territories of Slavic countries or among the Russian-speaking population.

Many people, understanding the essence of this part of folklore, are not able to give it a clear definition, but they will certainly bring one of the riddles known to them as examples. Among the features of this phenomenon are:

• Sphere of distribution - all Slavic peoples and territories. Russian folk riddles, proverbs, sayings and jokes include folklore from all over the territory of the former Russian Empire (USSR). And there are riddles Belarusian, Mari, Volga, Siberian, etc.
• Absence of copyrights. You can not install a specific puzzle creator. They just appear in a certain period, become obsolete, disappear or are processed into more modern variants. So the collections of various riddles do not write, but make up.
• Specific subject. Folklore, especially designed for children, rarely operates with abstract concepts such as life, death, soul and morals, but focus on specific concepts. For example, Russian folk riddles about the air are not told about this phenomenon, but about quite tangible clouds or smoke, that is, about things that everyone has seen and can recognize.

Place in folklore and free creativity

Mysteries of Russian folk - this is one of the most significant and living poetic genres, according to which you can see the worldview in society. Even 60-70 years ago they were a significant part of the leisure of young people and official authorities used them, including propaganda.

The peak of the study of riddles as part of folklore and the compilation of collections came in the 19th and 20th centuries. In particular, in 1837 the Tales of the Russian People and Proverbs, compiled by the talented archaeologist and traveler IP Sakharov, were published. And in 1976, his "Riddles of the Russian people" released DN Sadovnikov. The collection of 2504 paragraphs was subsequently reprinted repeatedly.

Certain attention was paid to riddles in the USSR. In 1932, under the editorship of MA Rybnikova, the most complete collection was published, including the folklore of various regions, the creativity of schoolchildren and the new "Soviet" notions.

• 2 plows. 2 turnips. In the middle of the factory. The RSFSR.
• No beets or carrots, but a red head. The Pioneer.
• Someone with a voice, but without a voice. Lishchenets, that is, struck in the rights.

In the future serious work of MA Rybnikova became a source for the creation of educational children's books. Riddles from it can be found in many modern publications.

In the 21st century, the number of new mysteries has decreased noticeably, but they have become much more difficult and sometimes give away with cynical humor. The legacy of Soviet times is widely used both in elementary school textbooks and developing literature for the youngest (3-6 years).

Obsolete puzzles. Forms

Like any part of the Russian language, folklore is characterized by renewal. First of all, Russian folk riddles about things that have disappeared are forgotten. For example:

• I drop a clean field. Black sheep will catch up. Bread in the oven .
• There is a Troshka on one leg, crumbling fiery crumbs. Light - stand for luchina.
• The black rider on the stove goes. Stove gripping .

Technological progress has struck out a lot of folklore, and there was nothing to fill the void. To date, 80% of all known mysteries, one way or another, use obsolete words and expressions - caftan, horde, millstone, king, etc. While they are still understood by people (and especially children) and remain part of the cultural tradition.

Puzzles that are universally used have several verbal forms:

• Narrative with interrogative intonation. For example: "Four brothers stand under one roof." Table.
• Poetic different lengths - from 6 to 30-40 words. For example: "The house grew up in the field, the house was full of grain, the walls were gilded, the shutters were boarded up, the house was running with stilts, and on the pillar with gold." Rye.
• Continuing. For this species is characterized by a smooth description of the thing, where each subsequent phrase is a continuation of the previous one. For example: "They stand forks, and on the fork of a barrel. On the barrel it waved. On the mahalla it rocked, it yawned on the rocking ground, blinked on the zephyr." The field blazed over the field, over the forest, and in the forest of the pig - golden setae. " Human.

It is worth noting that this kind of Russian folk riddles are complex and often oversaturated by allegory. They should be given to adults or children from 10 years.

Poetic puzzles

It is noted that folklore in the poetic form sounds more vivid and easier to remember. Most of the known riddles and suggestions, including very short ones, are rhymed. The most commonly used three-legged or four-legged trochee:

• Front of the seat. Behind the fork. On his chest - a towel. Swallow.
• White mansions. Red support. Goose.
• What is before us? Two ogloobli behind the ears, in front of the wheel and the nurse on the nose. Glasses.

Russian folk riddles in verse can have 2 kinds:

1. The rhymed question.

2. An unfinished poem, where the answer is the last word in rhyme. Most often they are used for teaching children counting, alphabet, nature studies.

Mysteries about nature and weather

A variety of natural phenomena have always been the subject of close attention in folklore. Water, earth, moon, rivers, stars and many other things - all of them were the subject of making a guess. And the peak of their appearance fell precisely at the end of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century, when people began to pay much more attention to the world around them. At that time there are Russian folk riddles about air, fog, smoke and clouds - the phenomena are very ephemeral.

• Good, good. He looks at everyone, but does not order himself. The sun.
• White bird in the sky. He is resting on a block of snow. The moon in the clouds.
• I was running-making noise. Died - shone. Frozen river .
• The street is a pillar. In the hut, a tablecloth. Smoke .
• An eagle is flying along the blue sky. The wings melted, the sun shone. Cloud.
• At every call I give an answer, but bodies and souls do not. Echo.

No less popular is the seasons and weather phenomena. Especially interesting are Russian folk riddles about autumn, winter and related events like snow, fall leaves, frost, blizzard and wind.

Mysteries about animals and people

Children's thinking requires an indication of specific things and therefore Russian folk riddles about animals (wild and domestic) at all times constitute a significant part of this kind of folklore. And they are useful doubly, because in the form of a game is brought to the child information about the leashes, behavior or danger of this or that beast. For example:

• Small, yes light. And the tail can not be lifted. Lizard.
• Behind the field and the line there is a mountain with sand. Anthill.
• On a swamp jumps, human floats. Frog.
• With horns, but not bull. Runs like a dragonfly. Jumps like a flea. Deer.
• The sieve is hanging. Not with the hands of a retinue. Web.
• Flies - squeaks, sits - is silent. Who will kill him will shed his own blood. Mosquito.
• I'm on time all the time, though I do not bring up hours. Cock.
• He picks through the fields. Lambs and calves are looking for. Wolf.

Children's riddles Russian folk, dedicated to man, allow in an entertaining form to teach the child the basics of anatomy. They will teach how to define body parts by description alone.

• 2 brothers live across the road. One does not see the other. Eyes.
• There are 5 brothers. Everyone has the same name. Fingers.
• Between the two luminaries I am alone. Nose.
• One says. Two look, but two listen. Mouth, eyes and ears.
• What part of a person is always wet? Language.

Riddles about numbers, alphabet and educational process

After the revolution of 1917 and the formation of a new state in society, great attention was paid to the literacy of the population. Sending to the reading courses of the elderly, already having grandchildren, was common. But among the younger generation the prestige of education helped to spread the riddles of Russian folk, rhymes and ditties about the ignoramuses. All folklore on this topic can be divided into the following groups:

1. About educational supplies - notebooks, books, textbooks, etc.

• White field, black seed. Who sows it - he understands. Book.
• When a sighted person is blind? Illiterate.
• He does not speak, he does not tell, but the example shows. Poster.
• On one paper the whole world is placed. Geographic map.

2. On the alphabet, numbers and other sciences.

Children's riddles Russian folk, composed in poetic form (with an answer-ending), are very effective as a means of teaching first-grader the basics of writing and arithmetic.

Riddles about food and things

The most updated part of folklore, in which puzzles die after the exit from the use of certain things. But new ones also appear regularly instead. So it's easy to find riddles about a Russian stove, poker or rocker, as well as about a computer, cell phone, car or airplane.

The theme of this group is very extensive and in any collection it is easy to find a riddle about the Russian folk instrument, clothing, heating, needlework, equipment, etc.

• He caresses everything that touches, and you touch - bites. Iron.
• The horse is steel, and the tail is silk (linen). Needle with thread.
• One hand meets. The other sees off. Door.

Riddles about food are mostly centered around several important products, available to everyone - bread (slices, loaf), salt, sugar, pancakes, dough, milk.

Riddles for adults. Erotic folklore

There is an opinion that Russian folk riddles about nature, things and food are meant for children. But it is not so. A huge layer of folklore is directly related to adults. And it's not only particularly complex forms, but erotic riddles - the category "18+". Despite strict religious, and then party censorship, they flourished at all times.

Riddles for adults are always ambiguous and deeply ironic, as they are built on deceived expectations. Pronouncing the text, the performer pretends that he does not understand the sexual meaning of key words like "holes", "pulling", "hammering", etc. And the main lie is that the answer to the riddle does not contain immodest meaning. For example:

• Two apples in the moss. Carrot upstairs. Eyes and nose.
• Between the legs dangles - the letter "x" is called. As he sees the letter "n" immediately rises. The elephant's trunk and food.
• From ass to mouth. Egg.
• Hanging - hanging. Everyone grabs him. Towel.

Riddles, as part of folklore, exist in all countries. But the Russians stand out on the global background with their numerous, diverse forms and significance for society.