U: S = !shortphrase!
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:
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.


X:2
T:Dialogue, words by O'Keefe
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:O'Keefe and Shield, 'The Highland Reel', n.d., p. 14.
H:This tune is admitted, partly on internal evidence, and partly by
reaon of its being identified as "Lay the bent to the bonny broom"
by Thomas Dibdin, who may have received the information from
Shield or O'Keefe. Cf. Chappell, Popular Music, II (1859), p. 531.
The last phrase carries the traditional refrain.
N:Child 1
G:A
M:3/4
K:Gmaj
D DD | G2 E>G F>A | D2 z A AA |
c2 BA G>B | d2 z2 B2 | d>B G2 E>G |
F>A D2 z2 | G2 B>G E>C | D2 d>c B>A | G3 |]
w:***Twang Lang-o Till-o Lang Twang-o dil-lo day.

X:3
T:There was a Lady in the West
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:Mason, 1878, p. 31. Also in Broadwood and Maitland, 1893,
pp. 6-7. Sung in Northumberland.
H:Reprinted again in the 1908 ed. of Mason, where Miss Mason adds
that the song was traditional in her mother's family, the Mitfords,
of Mitford, Northumberland. As said above, the D'Urfey tune can be
discerned behind the first half of this one.
N:Child 1
N:The letter I represents an inverted fermata, used by Bronson to
N:indicate that the note is sung shorter than notated.
G:A
M:6/8
K:Gmaj %but inflected IV
D | D2 G G2 A/B/ | c2 B A2 B/c/ | d Ie/d/ d/^c/ Id2 B |
w:There was a la-dy* in the West, Lay the bank with the bon-ny broom, She
c2 B B2 G | B>A G F3 | G3 B2 A | G/D/- D>z z2 z |
w:had three daugh-ters of the best,*Fa lang the dil-lo,*
G3 B2 c | d/B/- B>z c/A/- A>z | G3 z3 |]
w:Fa lang the dil-lo,* dil-lo,* dee.
W:
W:There was a lady in the West,
W:Lay the bank with the bonny broom,
W:She had three daughters of the best,
W:Fa lang the dillo,
W:Fa lang the dillo, dillo, dee.
W:
W:There came a stranger to the gate,
W:And he three days and nights did wait,
W:
W:The eldest daughter did ope the door,
W:The second set him on the floor,
W:
W:The third daughter she brought a chair,
W:And placed it that he might sit there,
W:
W:(To first daughter)
W:
W:"Now answer me these questions three,
W:Or you shall surely go with me,"
W:
W:(To second daughter)
W:
W:"Now answer me these questions six,
W:Or you shall surely be Old Nick's."
W:
W:(To all three)
W:
W:"Now answer me these questions nine,
W:Or you shall surely all be mine."
W:
W:"What is greener than the grass?
W:What is smoother than crystal glass?"
W:
W:"What is louder than a horn?
W:What is sharper than a thorn?"
W:
W:"What is brighter than the light?
W:What is darker than the night?"
W:
W:"What is keener than an axe?
W:What is softer than melting wax?"
W:
W:"What is rounder than a ring?"
W:"To you we thus our answers bring."
W:
W:"Envy is greener than the grass,
W:Flattery smoother than crystal glass."
W:
W:"Rumour is louder than a horn,
W:Hunger is sharper than a thorn."
W:
W:"Truth is brighter than the light,
W:Falsehood is darker than the night."
W:
W:"Revenge is keener than an axe,
W:Love is softer than melting wax."
W:
W:"The world is rounder than a ring,
W:To you we thus our answers bring."
W:
W:"Thus you have our answers nine,
W:And we never shall be thine."

X:4
T:The Three Sisters
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:Gilbert, 1823, pp.65-67. From editor's recollection; Cornish tradition.
Also in Child, 1882-98, I, p. 4(B).
H:The tune and first stanza are reproduced in facsimile in Sir Richard
Terry, 'Gilbert and Sandy's Christmas Carols', 1931, p. xix. It may be
observed that the first refrain-line appears under the notes as "Juniper
Gentle and Rosemary," not as given in the text below.
N:Child 1
G:A
M:6/8
K:G
G | G2 D G2 A | c2 B A3 |
w:There were three Sis-ters fair and bright,
GGD GAB | c2 B A2 A | AAB c2 A |
w:Jen-ni-fer gen-tle and Rose-ma-ree, And they three loved one val-
d2 G FED | G2 A Bdc | BcA G2 |]
w:i-ant Knight, As the dew flies o-ver the Mul-ber-ry tree.
W:
W:There were three Sisters fair and bright,
W:Jennifer gentle and Rosemaree,
W:And they three loved one valiant Knight,
W:As the dew flies over the Mulberry tree.
W:
W:The eldest Sister let him in,
W:And barred the door with a silver pin,
W:
W:The second Sister made his bed,
W:And placed soft pillows under his head,
W:
W:The youngest Sister fair and bright,
W:Was resolved for to wed with this valliant Knight,
W:
W:And if you can answer questions three,
W:Oh! then fair Maid I will marry with thee,
W:
W:What is louder than an horn?
W:And what is sharper than a thorn?
W:
W:Thunder is louder than an horn,
W:And hunger is sharper than a thorn,
W:
W:What is broader than the way?
W:And what is deeper than the sea?
W:
W:Love is broader than the way,
W:And hell is deeper than the sea,
W:
W:- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
W:And now, fair Maid I will marry with thee,


X:5
T:"The Devil's nine Questions"
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:Davis, 1929, p. 549; text, pp. 59-60. Sung by Mrs. Rill
Martin, Giles County, Va., September 11, 1922; noted by
Evelyn Rex. Collected by Alfreda M. Peel.
N:Child 1
G:B
M:4/4
K:G % Pentatonic ( -4 -7) Lydian/Ionian/Mixolydian [Pi1]
D2 | IG2 A2 BB G2 | E2 G2 D3 G | B3 B B2 A2 |
w:If you don't ans-wer me ques-tions nine, Sing nine-ty-nine and
B2 Id2 z2 e2 | d2 B2 G2 B2 | G2 E2 D2 EG | G3 G E2 D2 | E4 G2 |]
w: nine-ty, I'll take you off to hell a-live, And you are the weav-er's bon-ny.
W:
W:"If you don't answer me questions nine,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:I'll take you off to hell alive,
W:And you are the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"What is whiter than milk?
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:What is softer than silk?
W:Say You're the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"Snow is whiter than milk,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:Down is softer than silk,
W:And I'm the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"What is louder than a horn?
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:What is sharper than a thorn?
W:Sing I am the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"Thunder's louder than a horn,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:Death is sharper than a thorn,
W:Sing I am the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"What is higher than a tree?
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:What is deeper than the sea?
W:Sing I am the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"Heaven's higher than a tree,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:And hell is deeper than the sea,
W:Sing I am the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"What is innocenter than a lamb?
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:What is worse than woman kind?
W:Say I am the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"A babe is innocenter than a lamb,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:The devil's worse than woman kind,
W:Sing I am the weaver's bonny,"
W:
W:"You have answered me questions nine,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:You are God's you're not my own,
W:And you're the weaver's bonny."

X:6
T:"The Devil's nine Questions"
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:A. and E. Lomax, LC/AAFS, Album I, rec. 4A1. Sung by
Mrs. Texas Gladden, Salem, Va., 1941.
N:Child 1
G:B
M:4/4
K:G % Pentatonic ( -4 -7) Lydian/Ionian/Mixolydian [Pi 1]
D2 | G2 G2 GG G2 | E E3 ID2 B2 |
w:Oh, you must ans-wer my ques-tions nine, Sing
d3 d d2 A2 | B2 d4 d2 | e2 d2 B2 G2 |
w:nine-ty-nine and nine-ty, Or you're not God's, you're 
A G3 IE2 G2 | A2 BB D2 D2 | E2 G4 |]
w:one of mine, And you are the weav-er's bon-ny.
W:
W:Oh, you must answer my questions nine,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:Or you're not God's, you're one of mine,
W:And you are the weaver's bonny.
W:
W:"What is whiter than milk?
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:What is softer than silk?
W:Say You're the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"Snow is whiter than milk,
W:Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
W:Down is softer than silk,
W:And I'm the weaver's bonny."
W:
W:"What is higher than a tree?
W:And what is deeper than the sea?"
W:
W:"Heaven's higher than a tree,
W:And hell is deeper than the sea."
W:
W:"What is louder than a horn?
W:And What is sharper than a thorn?"
W:
W:"Thunder's louder than a horn,
W:and Death is sharper than a thorn."
W:
W:"What's more innocent than a lamb?
W:And what is meaner than womankind?"
W:
W:"A babe's more innocent than a lamb,
W:And the devil is meaner than womankind."
W:
W:"Oh you have answered my questions nine,
W:And you are God's you're none of mine."

X:7
T:"The Three Riddles"
T:Riddles wisely expounded
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:Barry and Bayard, BFSSNE, No. 10 (1935), p.8 and No.
12 (1937), p.8. Sung by Florence Mixer, Stonington,
Maine, 1936; learned from her father.
H:If this be a genuine tune, and no mere singsong, it may bear some
comparison with "Newmill" in the Greig MSS., Tune-book I, p.91.
As Barry explains, the text derives from Aytoun's translation of
Herder's translation of D'Urfey's broadside version.
N:Child 7
G:B
M:3/4
K:Am % Bronson has the key as "C Anomalous"
"(a)"E | A>A d3 B | A>A F2 z c |
w:'Twas of a gay young cav-al-ier, of
"(b)"c3 A A>A | A3 z z "(c)"A | Bc e3 c |
w:hon-our and re-nown; All for to seek a 
B>B G2 z c | c3 G G>G | G3 z z ||
w:la-dy fair, He rode from town to town.
%
%Alternative tunes on parts of some stanzas: Un-comment the next 6
%lines to display after the music.
%"(a)ST.4"B | e3 c B>A | G F3 z c ||
%"(a) ST.6"B | d3 B c>A | G F3 z c ||
%"(b) ST.7,II"d | d3 B B>B | B3 z z ||
%"(b) ST. 8,13"B | B3 G G>G | G3 z z | e3 ||
%"(c) ST.6"c | e3 c d>B | A F3 z c ||
%"(c)ST.7,9"d | f3 d e>c | B G3 z c | E3 ||
W:
W:'Twas of a gay young cavalier,
W:of honour and renown;
W:All for to seek a lady fair,
W:He rode from town to town.
W:
W:'Twas at a woman widow's door
W:He drew his rein so free
W:For by her side the knight espied
W:Her comely daughters three
W:
W:Small marvel if his gallant heart
W:Beat quick within his breast;
W:'Twas hard to choose, yet hard to loose,
W:Which might he wed the best.
W:
W:"Come maidens, pretty maidens,
W:Come read my riddles three;
W:And she who reads the best of all
W:My loving bride shall be;
W:
W:"Oh tell me what is longer
W:Than the longest path there be;
W:And tell me what is deeper
W:Than is the deepest sea.
W:
W:"And tell me what is louder
W:Than is the loudest horn;
W:And tell me what is sharper
W:Than is the sharpest thorn.
W:
W:"And tell me what is greener
W:Than the grass on yonder hill,
W:And tell me what is crueller
W:Than a wicked woman's will."
W:
W:The eldest and the second maid 
W:They sat and thought a while
W:The youngest she looked up at him
W:And said with a merry smile;
W:
W:"Love, surely it is longer
W:Than the longest path there be;
W:And Hell, they say is deeper
W:Than is the deepest sea;
W:
W:"Thunder, I know is louder
W:Than is the loudest horn;
W:And hunger it is sharper
W:Than is the sharpest thorn;
W:
W:"I know a deadly poison, greener
W:than the grass on yonder hill;
W:And a foul fiend is crueller
W:Than a wicked woman's will."
W:
W:Now scarcely had she spoke these words
W:When the youth was at her side;
W:'Twas all for what she answered him
W:He claimed her for his bride.
W:
W:The eldest and the second maid,
W:They pondered and were dumb;
W:And they, perchance are waiting yet,
W:Some other one to come.
W:
W:Now maidens, pretty maidens,
W:Be neither coy nor shy
W:But always, when a lover speaks,
W:Look kindly and reply.

X:8     
T:Lay the bent to the bonny broom 
B:North Countrie Folk Songs for Schools, Ed Whittaker, 1921, Pub Curwen 
F:http://www.folkinfo.org/songs 
M:3/4      
L:1/8     
K:A 
C A G |FF GA BA |G4 AB |c2 c3/2B/ ce | 
w:There was a la-dy in the North Coun-trie, Lay the bent to the bon-ny  
c3 c cB |A2 c2 BA |G4 FG |BA GF GA | F3 |] 
w:broom And she had love-ly daugh-ters three, Fal la la la la la la la la 
W:
W:There was a lady in the North Countrie 
W:(Lay the bent to the bonny broom) 
W:And she had lovely daughters three. 
W:(Fal la la la la la la la la) 
W: 
W:There was a knight of noble worth 
W:(Lay, etc) 
W:Who also lived in the north. 
W:(Fal, etc) 
W: 
W:THE KNIGHT 
W:If you canst answer me questions two 
W:This very day I will marry you. 
W: 
W:Oh what is longer than the way? 
W:Or what is deeper than the sea? 
W: 
W:THE LADY 
W:Oh true love is longer than the way 
W:And hell is deeper than the sea. 
W: 
W:THE KNIGHT 
W:Or what is louder than the horn 
W:Or what is sharper than the thorn? 
W: 
W:THE LADY 
W:And thunder is louder than the horn, 
W:And hunger is sharper than the thorn. 
W: 
W:When she these questions answered had 
W:The knight became exceeding glad. 
W: 
W:And after it was verified 
W:He made of her his lovely bride.