130 J. Hinton Knowles— Kashmiri Riddles. [No. 3, 
upper surface being in no way remarkable, whilst below it is covered 
with numerous, hard, sharp, and hooked spicula, with which the natives 
often prick themselves, when gathering the seeds. 
Mamani, mother’s brother’s wife. 
15, Treh nanik; trek khanih; trek savenik. 
Three are naked; three are coverlets; three are parda-nishin women. 
Ans. Kong-posh , a saffron flower. 
16, Pkulmut gulab tak tsatan nak kanh, 
The rose has bloomed and nobody cuts it. 
ANS ‘, ( H “ d " s) , } The Sun. 
(Musalmans) Aftab , ) 
17, Mumut murdak tak wadan nak hank. 
The man has died, and nobody weeps. 
Ans. Lar, a house. 
A house is here compared to a man. It is said to be dead when 
its inhabitants are asleep or absent. 
The idiom is peculiar—literally it is ‘ a dead man has died.’ 
18, Watkaramut watkarun sliungdn nak Tcank. 
The bed has been spread and nobody lies (or sleeps) on it. 
Ans. Tulak-katur , ice on the surface of water. 
19, Bar gayd } darbdr gaga ; 
Ab diskit mar gayd. 
It went to court, it went to court; 
(And) on seeing the water it died. 
Ans. Kdgaz ( Kdghaz , Pers .) paper. 
An impromptu riddle on seeing a court munshi drop his papers 
into the river as he crossed over the bridge to the court. 
20, Wakd duris mahah ivawem ; 
Kulak wuckliani , pagah nak kunili. 
I sowed maha in a Held of air ; 
Yesterday I saw it, but to-morrow it is nowhere. 
Ans. Tdrakddr rat , a starry night. 
Maha (Hindust. mdsk ), Pltascolus max or radiatus. Mahah is tho 
objective form. 
21, Lafih rust mewah kg ah ? 
What fruit is if without a tail ? 
Ans. Thai tak nun, egg aiul salt. 
