Riddles Wisely Expounded
"Riddles Wisely Expounded" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Language | English |
Written | 1450 |
Genre | Traditional English song, Child Ballad |
"Riddles Wisely Expounded" is a traditional English song, dating at least to 1450. It is Child Ballad 1 and Roud 161, and exists in several variants.[1] The first known tune was attached to it in 1719. The title "Riddles Wisely Expounded" was given by Francis James Child and seems derived from the seventeenth century broadside version "A Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded".
Origins and Context
The motif of riddling in folklore is very ancient, the stories of Oedipus and Samson giving two early examples. The particular form used here matches the folktale Aarne-Thompson type 875 The Clever Girl where a woman wins a husband by her clever answers to riddles.[2] Other tales of this type include What Is the Fastest Thing in the World? and The Wise Little Girl. There are strong parallels with ballads in other languages, with many German,[3] and Scottish and Irish Gaelic versions known to exist.[4] There is also significant crossover with other popular English language ballads, such as The Two Sisters (Child 10) and The False Knight on the Road (Child 3) and The Elfin Knight (Child 2).
Inter diabolus et virgo, "between the devil and the maiden" (c. 1450)
In the earliest surviving version of the song,[5] the "foul fiend" proposes to abduct a maiden unless she can answer a series of riddles. The woman prays to Jesus for wisdom, and answers the riddles correctly.
First two verses
Wol ye here a wonder thynge (Will you hear a wondrous story,)
Betwyxt a mayd and the fovle fende? (Between a maid and the foul fiend (Devil)?)
Thys spake the fend to the mayd: (Thus spoke the fiend (Devil) to the maid:)
"Beleue on me, mayd, to day." ("Believe on me, maid, today.")
Some riddles
What ys hyer than ys [the] tre? (What is higher than is the tree?)
What ys dypper than ys the see? (What is deeper than is the sea?)
What ys scharpper than ys the thorne? (What is sharper than is the thorn?)
What ys loder than ys the horne? (What is louder than is the horn?)
What [ys] longger than ys the way? (What is longer(broader) than is the way?)
What is rader than ys the day? (What is redder than is the day?)
Some answers
Hewene ys heyer than ys the tre. (Heaven is higher than is the tree.)
Helle ys dypper than ys the see. (Hell is deeper than is the sea.)
Hongyr ys scharpper than [ys] the thorne. (Hunger is sharper than is the thorn.)
Thonder ys lodder than ys the horne. (Thunder is louder than is the horn.)
Loukynge ys longer than ys the way. (Looking is longer (broader) than is the way.)
Syn ys rader than ys the day. (Sin is redder than is the day.)
"A Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded"
In a seventeenth century version entitled "A Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded", the words of each verse are interspersed with a chorus phrase "lay the bent to the bonny broom". A. L. Lloyd euphemistically describes this as a phrase of "physiological significance", explaining that the word "bent" means a horn.[6] "Broom" most likely refers to the flowering shrub. This version is very similar to The Two Sisters (Child 10).
"If thou canst answer me questions three,
Lay the bent to the bonny broom
This very day will I marry thee."
Fa la la la, fa la la la ra re
In later versions, including this one, a knight puts a woman to test before he marries her (sometimes after seducing her); the woman knows the answers, and wins the marriage. In other versions, a devil disguised as a knight tries to carry the woman off.
The riddles vary, but typical ones include:
- What is longer than the way? – love
- What is deeper than the sea? – hell
- What is louder than the horn? – thunder
- What is sharper than a thorn? – hunger
- What is whiter than milk? – snow
- What is softer than silk? – down
- What is worse than woman was? – the devil
Recent versions and traditional recordings
The most commonly found traditional version in recent times, usually entitled "Ninety-nine and ninety", begins roughly as follows:
Now you must answer my questions nine
Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
Or you aren't God's you are one of mine
And who is the weaver's bonny.
What is whiter than milk?
Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
And what is softer than silk?
And who is the weaver's bonny.
Traditional recordings of this version have been made several times in the twentieth century. American recordings include those performed by the Appalachian traditional singer Texas Gladden (recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax in 1941)[7] Nancy Philley of Fayetteville, Arkansas (1963)[8] and Alfreda Peel of Salem, Virginia (1932).[9] Jeff Wesley of Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, England (1988)[10] sang a very similar version, suggesting that this popular version came from England relatively recently.
Popular versions
Recordings
Album/Single | Performer | Year | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
Two Way Trip | Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger | 1961 | The Devil's Nine Questions |
Lowlands | Jean Redpath | 1980 | Riddles Wisely Expounded |
Sails of Silver | Steeleye Span | 1980 | Tell me why Listed as Steeleye Span / Traditional, but a rewrite from the Child ballad, that features the same riddles |
Minstrel | Hanita Blair | 1992 | Riddle Wisely Expounded |
A Thousand Miles or More | Kate Burk & Ruth Hazleton | 2000 | Lay The Bent to the Bonny Broom |
"Rain and Snow" | Elizabeth LaPrelle | 2004 | "The Devil's Nine Questions" |
Waxed | The Demon Barbers | 2005 | Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded |
Fearful Symmetry | Jon Loomes | 2005 | Riddles Wisley Expounded |
Child Ballads | Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer | 2013 | Riddles Wisely Expounded |
Riddles and Love Songs | Avon Faire | 2017 | Riddles Wisely Expounded |
A Minstrel Meets a Harper | Mary-Kate Spring Lee & Jim Hancock | 2017 | Riddles Wisely Expounded |
Wilde Roses | Wilde Roses | 2017 | Riddles Wisely Expounded (Inter Diabolus Et Virgo) |
Cold Light | Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll | 2019 | Riddles Wisely Expounded |
The Confluence | Stray Hens | 2019 | Riddles Wisely Expounded (Bonny Broom) |
Modern literary retellings include Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary by Pamela Dean and "A Diorama of the Infernal Regions, or the Devil's Ninth Question," by Andy Duncan.
See also
- List of the Child Ballads
- The Fause Knight Upon the Road
- The Elfin Knight
- Proud Lady Margaret
- The Riddle Song
References
- ^ Francis James Child, "Riddles Wisely Expounded"
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 1, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 1-2, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 3, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Child, Additions and corrections to Ballad #1, in the appendix to Volume 5 of The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
- ^ A. L. Lloyd, Folk Song in England, Paladin, 1975. p.154
- ^ "The Devil's Nine Questions (Roud Folksong Index S173359)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
- ^ "Devil's Nine Questions (Roud Folksong Index S267104)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
- ^ "The Devil's Nine Questions (Roud Folksong Index S445885)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
- ^ "Ninety-nine and Ninety (Roud Folksong Index S297648)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
Further reading
- Niles, John Jacob, Ron Pen, and WILLIAM BARSS. "Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child No. 1)." In The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles, 1-10. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2000. doi:10.2307/j.ctt130jnj1.6.
External links
- Riddles Wisely Expounded with 18th- and 19th-century melodies, and text to "Inter diabolus et virgo"
- v
- t
- e
- Sir Aldingar
- Alison and Willie
- Allison Gross
- Andrew Lammie
- Archie o Cawfield
- Kinmont Willie
- Auld Matrons
- Babylon
- The Baffled Knight
- The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington
- Barbara Allen
- The Battle of Otterburn
- The Beggar-Laddie
- Adam Bell
- The Bent Sae Brown
- Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
- Blancheflour and Jollyflorice
- The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood
- Bonnie Annie
- The Bonnie Earl O' Moray
- Bonnie George Campbell
- Bonny Baby Livingston
- Bonny Bee Hom
- The Bonny Birdy
- The Bonny Hind
- The Bonnie House of Airlie
- The Bonny Lass of Anglesey
- Bonny Lizie Baillie
- The Boy and the Mantle
- Broom of the Cowdenknowes
- The Broomfield Hill
- Broughty Wa's
- Brown Adam
- The Brown Girl
- Brown Robin
- Brown Robyn's Confession
- Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane
- Burd Isabel and Earl Patrick
- Captain Ward and the Rainbow
- Captain Wedderburn's Courtship
- The Carnal and the Crane
- The Cherry-Tree Carol
- The Ballad of Chevy Chase
- Child Maurice
- Child Owlet
- Child Waters
- Christopher White
- Clerk Colvill
- Clerk Saunders
- The Clerk's Twa Sons o Owsenford
- The Crafty Farmer
- Crow and Pie
- The Cruel Brother
- The Cruel Mother
- The Daemon Lover
- The Death of Parcy Reed
- The Death of Queen Jane
- Dick o the Cow
- Dives and Lazarus
- The Dowie Dens o Yarrow
- Dugall Quin
- The Duke of Athole's Nurse
- The Duke of Gordon's Daughter
- Earl Brand
- Earl Crawford
- The Earl of Errol
- The Earl of Mar's Daughter
- Earl Rothes
- Edom o Gordon
- Edward
- The Elfin Knight
- Eppie Morrie
- Erlinton
- Fair Annie
- The Fair Flower of Northumberland
- Fair Janet
- Fair Margaret and Sweet William
- Fair Mary of Wallington
- The False Lover Won Back
- The Famous Flower of Serving-Men
- The Farmer's Curst Wife
- Fause Foodrage
- The Fause Knight Upon the Road
- The Friar in the Well
- The Gardener
- The Gay Goshawk
- Geordie
- The George Aloe and the Sweepstake
- A Gest of Robyn Hode
- Get Up and Bar the Door
- Gil Brenton
- Glasgerion
- Glasgow Peggie
- Glenlogie
- The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
- The Grey Cock
- Gude Wallace
- The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
- Battle of Harlaw
- The Heir of Linne
- Hind Etin
- Hind Horn
- Hobie Noble
- Hughie Graham
- James Hatley
- Jamie Douglas
- Jellon Grame
- Jock o' the Side
- Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant
- John Dory
- John of Hazelgreen
- Johnie Cock
- Johnie Scot
- Johnnie Armstrong
- The Jolly Beggar
- The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield
- Judas
- Katharine Jaffray
- The Keach i the Creel
- Kemp Owyne
- Kempy Kay
- King Arthur and King Cornwall
- King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth
- King Estmere
- King Henry
- King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France
- King John and the Bishop
- The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood
- The King's Dochter Lady Jean
- Lang Johnny More
- The Kitchie-Boy
- The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
- The Knight's Ghost
- The Knoxville Girl
- The Lads of Wamphray
- Lady Alice
- Lady Diamond
- Lady Elspat
- Lady Isabel
- Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
- Lady Maisry
- The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
- The Laird o Drum
- The Laird o Logie
- Lamkin
- The Lass of Roch Royal
- Leesome Brand
- Sir Lionel
- Little John a Begging
- Lizie Lindsay
- Lizie Wan
- The Lochmaben Harper
- Lord Ingram and Chiel Wyet
- Lord Lovel
- Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight
- The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward
- Lord Randall
- Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie
- Lord Thomas and Fair Annet
- Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret
- Lord Thomas Stuart
- Lord William
- The Maid and the Palmer
- The Maid Freed from the Gallows
- The Marriage of Sir Gawain
- Mary Hamilton
- Matty Groves
- The Mermaid
- The Mother's Malison
- The New-Slain Knight
- The Noble Fisherman
- Northumberland Betrayed By Douglas
- Old Robin of Portingale
- Sir Orfeo
- Prince Heathen
- Prince Robert
- Proud Lady Margaret
- Queen Elanor's Confession
- The Queen of Elfan's Nourice
- The Queen of Scotland
- The Rantin Laddie
- Redesdale and Wise William
- Richie Story
- Riddles Wisely Expounded
- Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale
- Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne
- Robin Hood and Little John
- Robin Hood and Maid Marian
- Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
- Robin Hood and the Beggar
- Robin Hood and the Bishop
- Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford
- Robin Hood and the Butcher
- Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar
- Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow
- Robin Hood and the Monk
- Robin Hood and the Pedlars
- Robin Hood and the Potter
- Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon
- Robin Hood and the Ranger
- Robin Hood and the Scotchman
- Robin Hood and the Shepherd
- Robin Hood and the Tanner
- Robin Hood and the Tinker
- Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight
- Robin Hood Newly Revived
- Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
- Robin Hood Rescuing Will Stutly
- Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor, and Marriage
- Robin Hood's Chase
- Robin Hood's Death
- Robin Hood's Delight
- Robin Hood's Golden Prize
- Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham
- Robyn and Gandeleyn
- The Rose of England
- Rose the Red and White Lily
- Saint Stephen and Herod
- Sheath and Knife
- Sir Cawline
- Sir James the Rose
- Sir Patrick Spens
- The Suffolk Miracle
- The Sweet Trinity
- Sweet William's Ghost
- Tam Lin
- Thomas o Yonderdale
- Thomas the Rhymer
- The Three Ravens
- Tom Potts
- A True Tale of Robin Hood
- The Twa Brothers
- The Twa Magicians
- The Twa Sisters
- The Unquiet Grave
- Walter Lesly
- The Wee Wee Man
- The West Country Damosel's Complaint
- The White Fisher
- The Whummil Bore
- The Wife of Usher's Well
- The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin
- Will Stewart and John
- Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter
- Willie and Lady Maisry
- Willie o Douglas Dale
- Willie o Winsbury
- Willie's Fatal Visit
- Willie's Lady
- Willie's Lyke-Wake
- The Wylie Wife of the Hie Toun Hie
- Young Andrew
- Young Beichan
- Young Benjie
- The Young Earl of Essex's Victory over the Emperor of Germany
- Young Hunting
- Young Johnstone
- Young Peggy
- Young Ronald
- Young Waters