This riddle creates an image interweaving two different scenes from pastoral life. In the riddle, an old woman is said to be chasing many children, herding them in one direction, then another; this picture of childcare is reminiscent of the herding of animals--a central aspect of nomadic life. Women in this region often style their hair in many small braids. By describing the woman's hair as standing straight up and the children she chases as being small, round, and dark in color, the riddle emphasizes the similarities between herding, childcare, and sweeping up sheep dung.