He sat him doun upon a stane,
Till thir three lasses came tripping hame.
The auldest ane's to the bed making,
And the second ane's to the sheet spreading.
The youngest ane was bauld and bricht,
And she was to lye with this unco knicht.
"Gin ye will answer me questions ten,
The morn ye sall be made my ain.
"O what is heigher nor the tree?
And what is deeper nor the sea?
"Or what is heavier nor the lead?
And what is better nor the breid?
"O what is whiter nor the milk?
Or what is safter nor the silk?
"Or what is sharper nor a thorn?
Or what is louder nor a horn?
"Or what is greener nor the grass?
Or what is waur nor a woman was?"
"O heaven is higher nor the tree,
And hell is deeper nor the sea.
"O sin is heavier nor the lead,
The blessing's better nor the bread.
"The snaw is whiter nor the milk,
And the down is safter nor the silk.
"Hunger is sharper nor a thorn,
And shame is louder nor a horn.
"The pies are greener nor the grass,
And Clootie's waur nor a woman was."
As sune as she the fiend did name,
He flew awa in a blazing flame.
D
Motherwell's MS., p. 142.
"O WHAT is higher than the trees?
Refrain:Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And what is deeper than the seas?
Refrain:And you may beguile a fair maid soon
"O what is whiter than the milk?
Or what is softer than the silk?
"O what is sharper than the thorn?
O what is louder than the horn?
"O what is longer than the way?
And what is colder than the clay?
"O what is greener than the grass?
And what is worse than woman was?"
"O heaven's higher than the trees,
And hell is deeper than the seas.
"And snow is whiter than the milk,
And love is softer than the silk.
"O hunger's sharper than the thorn,
And thunder's louder than the horn.
"O wind is longer than the way,
And death is colder than the clay.
"O poison's greener than the grass,
And the Devil's worse than eer woman was."
A. a.
Title. A Noble Riddle wisely Expounded: or, The Maids answer to the Knights Three Questions.
She with her excellent wit and civil carriage,
Won a young Knight to joyn with him in marriage;
This gallant couple now is man and wife,
And she with him doth lead a pleasant Life.
Tune of Lay the bent to the bonny broom.
WOODCUT OF
THE KNIGHT.WOODCUT OF
THE MAID.
c. Knights questions. Wed a knight ... with her in marriage.
