¿Qué cosa y cosa una piedra almagrada, va saltando? Es la pulga.
\n¿Qué cosa y cosa está sobre piedras y es redondo, y está cantando? Es la olla cuando se cuecen maíz.
\n¿Qué cosa y cosa que está en el camino y está murdiendo? Es la piedra en que tropezamos en el camino.
\n¿Qué cosa y cosa está en el camino asentada, de hechura de tintero? Lo que el perro echa.
\n¿Qué cosa y cosa que en lo alto es redondo y barrigudo, y está bulléndose y dando voces? Es la sonaja que se llama ayacaxtli.
\nDebido a que el texto español hace constante referencia a la columna del texto náhuatl, se transcriben las metáforas en náhuatl.↩
What is it that is a red-ocher stone that goes jumping? It is the flea.
\nWhat is it that stands on stones, is round, and is singing? It is the pot when the maize [cobs] are being cooked.
\nWhat is it that is on the road and is biting? It is the stone on which we stumble on the road.
\nWhat is it that is seated on the road and has the shape of an inkwell? It is what the dog defecates.
\nWhat is it that is round on top, has a big belly, and keeps shaking and crying out loud? It is the rattle called ayacachtli.1
\nThis phrase means, “You harm the shine and beauty of the precious stone which you display like a rough tezontli3 full of holes. You mishandle or scatter or tear the valuable feather.” This metaphor is said when someone desecrates some holy thing or mistreats or dishonors someone who is honorable or of great worth, such as those who receive the most Holy Sacrament without due reverence. It is also said when someone dishonors some maiden.
\nSahagún omitted the Spanish translation of the last riddle in the corresponding Nahuatl-language column, which is about the spindle (malacatl). See A&D, bk.6, 240.↩
The headings for the metaphors appear in Nahuatl in LAGQ (and of course in the manuscript’s Nahuatl-language column) throughout the chapter, which are here rendered in modern spelling.↩
tezontli: The manuscript reads teçotli (a spongy volcanic rock of little value).↩
Çaçan tleino, tlatlauhquj tetl cholotiuh. Tecpi.
\nÇaçan tleino, teticpac totolon cujcaticac. Nexcomjtl.
\nÇaçan tleino, otlica tequatica. Ca titotecujnja tetl.
\nÇaçan tleino, otlica eoatica paltetzocoton. chichi icujtl.
\nÇaçan tleino, aco cujtlaiaoalli, movivixoa tzatzi. Aiacachtli.
\nÇaçan tleino, ineitotiaian qujtitique, cotztique. Ca malacatl.
\nInjn tlatolli, itechpa mjtoa: in aqujn ytla cenca tlaçotli qujtlacoa, in cenca malhvilonj, in amo qujmalhvia; in juhquj iehoantin, in aqujque qujmocelilia Sanctissimo sacramento in amo tlamaviztilia, in amo mopechteca, in amo choca. etc. in anoço aca çan maceoalli in cavil[qujxtia]
\n","citation_key":"citation_anderson_nahuatl_transcription","citation":{"en":["Nahuatl by Anderson & Dibble 1953–1982"],"es":["Náhuatl por Anderson & Dibble 1953–1982"]}},{"id":"9d21c9c7-10ef-43f8-a159-75cb4deab1f7","choice":{"en":["Nahuatl-to-English by Anderson & Dibble 1953–1982"],"es":["Náhuatl-al-inglés por Anderson & Dibble 1953–1982"]},"type":"translation","type_label":{"en":["nahuatl translation"],"es":["traducción al náhuatl"]},"column":"nahuatl","language":{"en":["English"],"es":["Inglés"]},"language_code":"eng","subtitle":"(Anderson & Dibble 1953–1982)","markdown":"What is that which is a stone of red ochre which goes jumping? The flea.\n\nWhat is that which is on round stones, standing singing? The olla for cooking maize in ashes.\n\nWhat is that which is on the road which is biting one? It is the stone which we stumble over.\n\nWhat is a tiny colored stone sitting on the road? Dog excrement.\n\nWhat is that which is rounded above, which shakes, which cries out? The gourd rattle.\n\nWhat are those things which, at their dancing place,[^1] they give stomachs, they make pregnant? They are spindles.\n\n\n#### Forty-third Chapter. Here are told some of the figures of speech called metaphors, which are subtle expressions; and their interpretations, their explanations.\n\n##### Thou roughenest the green stone; thou rendest the precious feather\n\nThis saying is said of him who damages something very precious; who respects not what is worthy of respect: like those who, receiving the most Holy Sacrament, pay it no honor, humble themselves not, weep not, etc. Or some mere commoner \n\n\n\n\n[^1]: Read *inneitotiayan*. There is no Spanish text of this riddle.","html":"What is that which is a stone of red ochre which goes jumping? The flea.
\nWhat is that which is on round stones, standing singing? The olla for cooking maize in ashes.
\nWhat is that which is on the road which is biting one? It is the stone which we stumble over.
\nWhat is a tiny colored stone sitting on the road? Dog excrement.
\nWhat is that which is rounded above, which shakes, which cries out? The gourd rattle.
\nWhat are those things which, at their dancing place,1 they give stomachs, they make pregnant? They are spindles.
\nThis saying is said of him who damages something very precious; who respects not what is worthy of respect: like those who, receiving the most Holy Sacrament, pay it no honor, humble themselves not, weep not, etc. Or some mere commoner
\nRead inneitotiayan. There is no Spanish text of this riddle.↩