Word plays.

408

Ania iti mainaganan ari ditoy bagui?

(Iloc.) Aripoyot

What king (ari) do you name in your body?

Aripoyot

This is the great inner muscle of the upper leg.

409

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 Page 130the 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.) Culassisi

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. Page 131

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 ngodona.

(Iloc.) Salapingao

(Fifty cents) Salapi is the beginning; ( ) ngao the end. Page 132

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.


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

[2] a flower.