had actual instruction in doing so. There is no question that errors
and inconsistencies exist in the spelling of these riddles, due to
this lack of instruction and to the fact that the texts have been
written by many different persons. I am myself not acquainted with
any Malay language. I have tried to secure uniformity in spelling
within the limits of each language but have no doubt overlooked many
inconsistencies. The indulgence of competent critics is asked. It has
been our intention throughout to adhere to the _old_ orthography. Thus
the initial _qu_ and the final _ao_ have been preferred.

The _word_ for riddle varies with the population. In Ilocano it is
_burburtia_, in Pangasinan _boniqueo_, in Tagal _bugtong_, in Gaddang
----, in Pampangan _bugtong_, in Bisayan _tugmahanon_.

Riddles are common to all mankind. They delighted the old Aryans and
the ancient Greeks as they do the modern Hindu and the Bantu peoples
of darkest Africa. Many writers have defined the riddle. Friedreich
in his _Geschichte des Raethsels_, says: "The riddle is an indirect
presentation of an unknown object, in order that the ingenuity of the
hearer or reader may be exercised in finding it out.... Wolf has given
the following definition: the riddle is a play of wit, which endeavors
to so present an object, by stating its characteristic features and
peculiarities, as to adequately call it before the mind, without,
however, actually naming it."

The riddles of various Oriental peoples have already been collected
and more or less adequately discussed by authors. Hebrew riddles
occur in the Bible, the best known certainly being Samson's:

"Out of the eater came forth meat,
And out of the strong came forth sweetness."

Arabic riddles are many and have been considerably studied; Persian
riddles are well known; of Indian riddles at least one collection
has been printed separately under the name _Lakshminatha upasaru_,
a series of Kolarian riddles from Chota Nagpur has been printed as,
also, an interesting article upon Behar riddles; Sanskrit riddles are
numerous and have called for some attention from scholars; a few Gypsy
riddles are known; two recent papers deal with Corean riddles. We know
of but two references to Malayan riddles; one is Rizal, _Specimens
of Tagal Folk-Lore_, the other is Sibree's paper upon the _Oratory,
Songs, Legends, and Folk-Tales of the Malagasy_. This is no doubt
an incomplete bibliography but the field