A Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C ADAE FG HI JJ BB KK LL EE A EE A A EA BB M EA BB M EE EE EE EE NO| The Text is from a broadside of the seventeenth century from the press of Coles Vere Wright and Clarke now preserved in the Rawlinson collection in the Bodleian Library | A |
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| The Story of this ballad is one of the common class of riddle ballads Some of these riddles are found also in Captain Wedderburn | B |
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| It is not clear why in 'poyson is greener than the grass ' In Captain Wedderburn it is 'death' that is greener than the grass which is equally inexplicable A variant of the latter gives 'virgus' verjuice a kind of vinegar which obviously means 'green juice ' It is possible that this might come to be regarded as a synonym for 'poyson' and the next step is to substitute 'death' for 'poyson ' | - |
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| A NOBLE RIDDLE WISELY EXPOUNDED | C |
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| There was a lady of the North Country | A |
| Lay the bent to the bonny broom | D |
| And she had lovely daughters three | A |
| Fa la la la fa la la la ra re | E |
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| There was a knight of noble worth | F |
| Which also lived in the North | G |
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| The knight of courage stout and brave | H |
| A wife he did desire to have | I |
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| He knocked at the ladie's gate | J |
| One evening when it was late | J |
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| The eldest sister let him in | B |
| And pin'd the door with a silver pin | B |
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| The second sister she made his bed | K |
| And laid soft pillows under his head | K |
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| The youngest daughter that same night | L |
| She went to bed with this young knight | L |
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| And in the morning when it was day | E |
| These words unto him she did say | E |
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| 'Now you have had your will ' quoth she | A |
| 'I pray sir knight will you marry me ' | - |
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| The young brave knight to her replyed | E |
| 'Thy suit fair maid shall not be deny'd | E |
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| 'If thou canst answer me questions three | A |
| This very day will I marry thee ' | - |
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| 'Kind sir in love O then ' quoth she | A |
| 'Tell me what your three questions be ' | - |
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| 'O what is longer than the way | E |
| Or what is deeper than the sea | A |
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| 'Or what is louder than the horn | B |
| Or what is sharper than a thorn | B |
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| 'Or what is greener than the grass | M |
| Or what is worse than a woman was ' | - |
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| 'O love is longer than the way | E |
| And hell is deeper than the sea | A |
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| 'And thunder is louder than the horn | B |
| And hunger is sharper than a thorn | B |
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| 'And poyson is greener than the grass | M |
| And the Devil is worse than woman was ' | - |
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| When she these questions answered had | E |
| The knight became exceeding glad | E |
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| And having truly try'd her wit | E |
| He much commended her for it | E |
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| And after as it is verifi'd | E |
| He made of her his lovely bride | E |
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| So now fair maidens all adieu | E |
| This song I dedicate to you | E |
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| I wish that you may constant prove | N |
| Vnto the man that you do love | O |
Frank Sidgwick
(1)
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