Six Questions
1.
The Duke of Merchant's daughter walked out one summer's day.
She met a bold sea-captain by chance upon the way.
He says, " My pretty fair maid, if it was n't for the law,
I would have you in my bed this night by either stock or wa. "
2.
She sighed and said, " Young man, oh, do not me perplex.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You must answer me in questions six before that I gang awa',
Or before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wa. —
3.
" Oh, what is rounder than your ring? What's higher than the trees?
Or what is worse than women's tongue? What's deeper than the seas?
What bird sings first, what bird sings last? Or where does the dew first fall? —
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wall. "
4.
" The globe is rounder than your ring. Sky's higher than the trees.
The devil's worse than women's tongue. Hell's deeper than the seas.
The roe sings first, the thirst sings last. On the earth the dew first falls,
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wall. "
5.
" You must get for me some winter fruit which in December grew.
You must get for me a silken cloak that ne'er a waft went through,
A sparrow's thorn, a priest new-born, before that I gang awa',
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wa'. "
6.
" My father's got some winter fruit which in December grew.
My mother's got a silken cloak that ne'er a waft went through.
Sparrow's thorns they 're easy found. There's one on every claw.
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wa'. "
7.
" You must get for my wedding supper a chicken without a bone.
You must get for my wedding supper a cherry without a stone.
You must get for me a gentle bird, a bird without a gall,
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wall. "
8.
" Oh, when the chicken 's in the egg, I'm sure it has no bone.
And when the cherry 's in full bloom, I'm sure it has no stone.
The dove it is a gentle bird. It flies without a gall,
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wa'. "
9.
He took her by the lily-white hand and led her through the hall.
He held her by the slender waist for fear that she would fall.
He led her on his bed of down without a doubt at all,
So he and she lies in one bed, and he lies next the wall.
The Duke of Merchant's daughter walked out one summer's day.
She met a bold sea-captain by chance upon the way.
He says, " My pretty fair maid, if it was n't for the law,
I would have you in my bed this night by either stock or wa. "
2.
She sighed and said, " Young man, oh, do not me perplex.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You must answer me in questions six before that I gang awa',
Or before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wa. —
3.
" Oh, what is rounder than your ring? What's higher than the trees?
Or what is worse than women's tongue? What's deeper than the seas?
What bird sings first, what bird sings last? Or where does the dew first fall? —
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wall. "
4.
" The globe is rounder than your ring. Sky's higher than the trees.
The devil's worse than women's tongue. Hell's deeper than the seas.
The roe sings first, the thirst sings last. On the earth the dew first falls,
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wall. "
5.
" You must get for me some winter fruit which in December grew.
You must get for me a silken cloak that ne'er a waft went through,
A sparrow's thorn, a priest new-born, before that I gang awa',
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wa'. "
6.
" My father's got some winter fruit which in December grew.
My mother's got a silken cloak that ne'er a waft went through.
Sparrow's thorns they 're easy found. There's one on every claw.
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wa'. "
7.
" You must get for my wedding supper a chicken without a bone.
You must get for my wedding supper a cherry without a stone.
You must get for me a gentle bird, a bird without a gall,
Before that I lie in your bed by either stock or wall. "
8.
" Oh, when the chicken 's in the egg, I'm sure it has no bone.
And when the cherry 's in full bloom, I'm sure it has no stone.
The dove it is a gentle bird. It flies without a gall,
So you and I lie in one bed, and you lie next the wa'. "
9.
He took her by the lily-white hand and led her through the hall.
He held her by the slender waist for fear that she would fall.
He led her on his bed of down without a doubt at all,
So he and she lies in one bed, and he lies next the wall.
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.