Mõistatused ja mõistatamine Virumaal

Abstract

The article gives an overview of riddles written down in their diversity throughout times in the parishes of Virumaa. The author analyses both the old (classical) and newer layer, including changes in the function and usage context as well as the usership. In addition to the dynamics of form and content layer of riddle texts, attention is parallelly paid to the social functions of the genre, which reflect in the small number of records of usage contexts found in archival materials. Records from Virumaa confirm a more general tendency that the genre which in the peasant society had, besides entertaining functions, also magic and religious importance, today focuses on entertainment.

Keywords

• compound word games
• conundrums
• folklore in Virumaa
• functions of riddles
• humour
• riddles
• ritualism
• specificity of riddles