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Updated: May 7, 2025
Thus, for instance, the Wolufs of Senegal ask each other, 'What flies for ever, and rests never? Answer, 'The Wind. 'Who are the comrades that always fight, and never hurt each other? 'The Teeth. In France, as we read in the 'Recueil de Calembours, the people ask, 'What runs faster than a horse, crosses water, and is not wet? Answer, 'The Sun. The Samoans put the riddle, 'A man who stands between two ravenous fishes? Answer, 'The tongue between the teeth. Again, 'There are twenty brothers, each with a hat on his head? Answer, 'Fingers and toes, with nails for hats. This is like the French 'un pere a douze fils? 'l'an. A comparison of M. Rolland's 'Devinettes' with the Woluf conundrums of Boilat, the Samoan examples in Turner's' Samoa, and the Scotch enigmas collected by Chambers, will show the identity of peasant and savage humour.
When the friends had done laughing, Vincenz said: "Suppose we now bid adieu to the subject of French conversation, with all its bon mots, calembours, and other ingredients, and come to the conclusion that it really is an immense pleasure when, amongst intellectual Germans, a conversation, inspired by their humour, rushes up skyward like a coruscating firework, in a thousand hissing light-balls, crackling serpents, and lightning-like rockets."
The French say that a certain heaviness in our nature always prevents us from hitting the precise tact and tone necessary for it; and they may be right, to a certain extent, but I must declare that the much-belauded légèreté and lightsomeness of French Society puts me out of temper, and makes me feel stupid and uncomfortable, and that I cannot look upon those bon mots and calembours of theirs, which are continually being fired off in all directions, as coming under the class of that 'Society wit' which gives out constantly fresh sparks of new life of conversation.
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