The King's Three Questions- Farnham (VT) c. 1870
[From Flanders/Brown; Vermont Folk-Songs & Ballads; also from Flanders' Ancient Ballads, pp. 281-298, notes by Coffin follow. This version was collected and modified by the informant, who added missing verses-- another version was collected, also learned from the same source Farnham's grandmother by Fred Ballard and is given as A2 (see below).
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
King John and the Bishop
(Child 45)
"King John and the Bishop" is a ballad version of a well-known folk tale (Aarne-Thompson, Mt. 922) that is probably oriental in origin. At least a ninth-century Arabic work contains a story about a wicked king, his viziers, and a potter that is basically similar. This is about as far back as the tale can be safely traced. It became quite popular in the Middle Ages, both in the East and west, and has been the subject of a good bit of study. walter Anderson's monograph, "Kaiser und Abt" (FFC, No. 42 [Helsinki, 1923]); the citations in the Aarne-Thompson Types of the Folktale; and the notes in Child, I, 405 f., make a good start on a bibliography of the tale's variations and history.
The American ballad versions, almost all from the North, follow the child's Brooksby broadside pretty closely, usually even to the "derry down" refrain. The Flanders texts are of interest more because of the way they interrelate to each other than because of anything unusual in their make-up. After all, the story, with its set situation, questions, and answers, is about as variation-proof as folklore can ever be. A1 and A2, below, were learned by two men from a mutual grandmother, and, except for the fact that most of is is forgotten, they are much alike. However, it should be noted that the singer of A1 did not recall a good portion of his text until later. B1, B2, and BB make an interesting series. B1, sung word for word the same in 1933 by a brother and sister, was re-collected from the brother in 1939 and again in 1951. The 1939 B2 and 1951 B2 texts have two stanzas (8 and 9) not found in the 1933 version and add two new stanzas to the material covered in B1 from stanza 3 to stanza B. Otherwise the three texts do not differ greatly. The fact that neither Mr" George nor his sister recalled the additional stanzas in 1933 makes one wonder why the material should crop up six and eighteen years later. C, it will be noted, is also from the Slayton family that Mrs. Daniels, Elmer George's sister, gave as the source of her text. D is interesting in the singer's comment that the Bishop "was arrested for having too much money"--a compact statement of the Child B motivation. For a start on a bibliography of the song, see Coffin, 58-59.
All three of the tunes given here are related, corresponding to BC1 group A. The two George tunes are almost identical.
A1. The King's Three Questions. Printed, in Vermont Folk-Songs & Ballads, 200, as recorded in Wardsboro, Vermont, from the singing of George Farnham. Learned seventy years earlier from his grandmother, Mrs. Sarah French, who was 86 years old at the time. At that time Mr. Farnham was eighteen years old. As good luck would, have it, the collector asked Mr. Farnham to ride to Brattleboro with him and in the course of the trip several important verses of the song were recollected that had not been remembered in the recording period. George Brown, Collector; August 27, 1930.
[music]
A story, a story, a story of one,
'T was of a great prince, his name was King John.
He was a man, and a man of great might,
He tore down great barns and set up great right,
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
Now it was to make the king merry,
He sent for the Bishop of Can-te-ro-berry.
He said, "Mr. Bishop, it is told to me,
That you're a far greater scholar than me."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Now if you don't answer to my questions three,
Your head will be taken from your body.
And if you don't answer to all of them right,
Your head will be taken from your body quite."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"My first question is, When I'm in my state,
With my crown of gold upon my pare,
To all my nobility, joy and much mirth,
You must tell to one penny what I am worth."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"My second question is without any doubt,
How long I'll be traveling this whole world about.
My third question is that when I do wink,
You must tell me presently what I do think."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
Now as the Bishop was returning home
He met a poor shepherd and him all alone.
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop," the shepherd did say.
"What news do you bring from court today?"
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Bad news, bad news," the Bishop did say,
"For if I don't answer King John's questions three,
My head shall be taken from my body.
And if I don't answer to all of them right,
My head shall be taken from my body quite."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"His first question is, When he's in his state,
With his crown of gold upon his pate,
To all his nobility, joy and much mirth,
I must tell to one penny what he is worth."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"His second question is, without any doubt,
How long he will be traveling this whole world about.
The third question is when he does wink,
I must tell to one penny what he do think."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Now are you such a man of learning," says he,
"That you can't answer the king's questions three?
Now you give me a robe of your apparel,
I will go to King John and settle the quarrel."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"A robe of apparel you shall have,
Ten thousand pounds as long as you live."
And now the shepherd, he is gone,
To answer the questions of King John.
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop," the king did say,
"Have you come here to live or to die?"
"tr hope your Grace will let me live,
If I do all your answers give."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Your first question is, When you're in your state,
With your crown of gold upon your pate,
To all your nobility, joy and much mirth,
I must tell to one penny what you're worth."
To my derry I down, oh high dorvn derry day.
"For thirty pieces our Saviour was sold,
To the false Jews both brazen and bold.
Twenty-nine pieces must be your just due,
For I think him one piece better than you."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"Your next question is, without any doubt,
How long you'll be traveling this whole world about.
Arise with the sun and go 'round with the same,
In twenty-four hours you will it obtain."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
"The third question is, that when you do wink,
I must tell you presently what you do think.
And now it is to make your Grace merry,
You think I'm the Bishop of Can-te-ro-berry.
But, you mistake, I am not he,
I am a poor shepherd of Salisburree."
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
________________________________________
A2. The King's Three Questions. Recorded in Jamaica, Vermont from the singing of Fred Ballard. Learned seventy years earlier from his grandmother, Mrs. Sarah French, who was 86 years old at the time. See headnote for A1.
A story, a story, a story of one,
'T was of a great prince, his name was King John.
He was a man, and a man of great might,
He tore down great barns and set up great right,
To my derry I down, oh high down derry day.
Now it was to make the king merry
He sent for the Bishop of Can-tiro-berry.
He said, "Mr. Bishop, it is told to me
That you're a tar greater scholar than me.
"Now if you don't answer to my questions three,
Your head will be taken from your body.
And if you don't answer to all of them right
Your head will be taken from your body quite.
"My first question is, When I'm in my state
With my crown of gold uPon mY Pate,
To all my nobility, joy and much mirth,
You must tell to one penny what I am worth.
"My second question is without any doubt,
How long I'll be traveling this whole world about.
My third quesdon is, that when I do wink
You must tell me presently what I do think."
Now as the Bishop was returning home
He met a Poor shepherd and him all alone.
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop," the shepherd did say.
"What news do you bring from court today?"