A Riddle Wittily Expounded

X:1
T:A Riddle Wittily Expounded
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:D'Urfey, 1719-20, IV, pp.129-32 (emended)
H: D'Urfey prints the tune in C| time throughout; Chappell,
in his revision of it (II [1859], p.531), regularizes in 3/4,
giving two beats to the last note of the first and third
phrases, and changing the signature to G minor.  Bruce and
Stokoe (1882, pp. 76-78) profess to print from D'Urfey, but
again in two flats, regularizing the timing in 3/4, and with
four alterations in notes:  D for initial A, e raised to f
in the third bar, the third d in the same bar lowered to c,
and the first A in the penultimate bar raised to c.
N:Child 1
L:1/8
G:A
M:3/4
K:Gdor % possibly Dphr with a natural e
A BA | GG AB cB |[M:2/4][L:1/4] A B/c/ |
w:There was a La-dy in the North Coun-try,  Lay the
[M:3/4][L:1/8] d2 dd d/e/ d/c/ | d2 z d dc |
w:Bent to the Bon__ny Broom, And she had
B2 d2 cB |[M:2/4][L:1/4] A G/A/ |[M:3/4][L:1/8] AB AG AB | G2 z |]
w:love-ly Daugh-ters three, Fa la la la, fa, la la la re.
W:There was a Lady in the North-Country,
W:Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom,
W:And she had lovely Daughters three,
W:Fa, la la la, fa, la la la re.
W:
W:There was a Knight of Noble worth,
W:Which also lived in the North,
W:
W:The Knight of Courage stout and brave,
W:A Wife he did desire to have,
W:
W:He knocked at the Lady's Gate,
W:One Evening when it was late,
W:
W:The youngest Sister let him in,
W:And pinn'd the Door with a Silver Pin,
W:
W:The second Sister she made his Bed,
W:And laid soft Pillows under his Head,
W:
W:The Youngest [Sister] that same Night,
W:She went to Bed to this young Knight,
W:
W:And in the Morning when it was Day,
W:These word unto him she did say,
W:
W:Now you have had your Will (quoth she),
W:I pray Sir Knight you Marry me,
W:
W:The young brave Knight to her reply'd,
W:Thy Suit, fair Maid shall not be deny'd,
W:
W:If thou can'st answer me Questions three,
W:This very Day I will Marry thee,
W:
W:Kind Sir in Love, O then quoth she,
W:Tell me what your three Questions be,
W:
W:O, what is longer than the Way?
W:Or what is deeper than the Sea?
W:
W:Or what is louder than a Horn?
W:Or what is sharper than a Thorn?
W:
W:Or what is greener than the Grass?
W:Or what is worse than a Woman was?
W:
W:(The Damsel's Answer to the Three Questions)
W:
W:O Love is longer than the Way,
W:And Hell is deeper than the Sea,
W:
W:And Thunder's louder than the Horn,
W:And Hunger's sharper than the Thorn,
W:
W:And Poyson's greener than the Grass,
W:And the Devil's worse than a Woman was,
W:
W:When she these Questions answered had,
W:The Knight became exceeding glad,
W:
W:And having truly tried her Wit,
W:He much commended her for it,
W:
W:And after as 'tis verified,
W:He made of her his lovely Bride,
W:
W:So now fair Maidens all Adieu,
W:This Song I dedicate to you,
W:
W:I wish that you may Constant prove,
W:Unto the Man that you do love.

Visitors to this tune page also viewed:

No.1 Hornpipe. WCa.32

Planxty Kelly

Savez-vous planter les choux