Alexandr Tarancheev, folklore, riddles and sayings

Alexandr says the following: During Tsagan Sar people got up early in the morning and invited each other into their homes. We greeted each other by a special handshake during which the hands were supposed to be covered by the sleeves. Elderly men kissed each other on the cheek three times. In Siberia, in 1950, the Kalmyks who worked at the state farm No 77 were sent out to the nearby collective farms. Four families, including ours, were sent to the village of Lebyazhe in Pavlovskiy district, where they had a collective farm called Giant. Among us was a blind man. When the Kalmyks were deported to Siberia he was 17 and could still see. In Siberia he became blind. This man liked to come up with all sorts of riddles. For example: On the anvil there are four geese (i.e. four nipples of the udder). There are five geese on the shelf (i.e. fingers). The two sisters have the same height (i.e. scissors). Here is a proverb: Do not take off your boots without seeing the water (i.e. do not act hastily).Sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwi