Song of the Riddles, The
Sheet Music (and more information about this song)
A gentleman's fair daughter stepped down a narrow lane.
She met with Captain Witherburn, the keeper of the game.
He said unto his servant men, "If it were not for the law,
I'd have that maid in bed with me and she'd lie next the wall."
"Ah, then go away, young man," she said, "and do not bother me.
Before you lie one night with me you must answer me questions three.
Three questions you must answer me whilst I set forth them all,
Ere you and I in one bed lie and I lie next the wall."
"You must get me for my breakfast a cherry without a stone,
You must get me for my dinner a bird without a bone.
For my supper you must get for me a bird without a gall,
Ere you and I in one bed lie or I lie next the wall."
"Now the cherry when in blossom, it surely has no stone,
The chicken when it's in the egg, it surely has no bone.
The dove she is a gentle bird and flies without a gall,
So you and I in one bed lie and you'll lie next the wall."
"Ah, go away, young man," she said, "and do not me perplex.
Before you lie one night with me you must answer me questions six.
Six questions I'll put forth to you whilst you shall answer all,
Ere you and I in one bed lie or I lie next the wall."
"Now what is rounder than a ring? What's higher than a tree?
And what is worse than women's wrath? What's deeper than the sea?
What bird sings best? What tree buds first and on the dew first fall?
Ere you and I in one bed lie or I lie next the wall."
"Now the world is rounder than a ring, heaven's higher than a tree.
The divil is worse than women's wrath, hell's deeper than the sea,
The lark sings best, the heath buds first and there the dew first fall,
So you and I in one bed lie and you'll lie next the wall."
"You must get for me some winter fruit that in December grew,
You must get for me a mantle that weft nor warp went through,
A sparrow's horn, a priest unborn to wed us both in twa,
Ere you and I in one bed lie or I lie next the wall."
"Now my father has some winter fruit that in December grew,
My mother has a mantle that weft nor warp went through,
A sparrow's horn is easy got: there is one in every claw,
And Melchizedek was a priest unborn - and you'll lie next the wall."
Discography: Willie Clancy: The Minstrel from Clare
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