Main text:
Religious riddles

Background on informant:
My grandmother is a deeply devout Christian whose faith is woven into her everyday life. Much of the folklore she shares is rooted in her faith, whether it’s Christian riddles or her love for worship music.

Informant: Ohh, I have a good one for you.

Interviewer: Ok, let me have it.

Informant: What is more powerful than God, more evil than the devil, all poor people have it, and if rich

people ate it, they would die?

Interviewer: I don’t know, what is more powerful than God?

Informant: NOTHING!

Interviewer: Ok..

Informant: Nothing….

Interviewer: Ohhhh I get it. Dang that’s a good one.

Informant: My congregation liked that one too.

Analysis: This riddle does more than just make you think, it’s a way for my grandma’s faith community to reinforce their belief in their community values centralized around God’s power. In class, we talked about how folklore keeps group values alive, this is something fun that also reminds everyone that nothing tops God. So, through a simple riddle, they’re passing down what they believe, in a clever and engaging way that wont be forgotten.