The Riddle Song- Workman (WV) pre1978 Gainer
[Gainer; Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills; 1975. No date given. "The story of our love" line- in the third verse is a modern adaptation and probably not traditional.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE RIDDLE SONG
(CHILD 46, "CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP")
Although no complete survival of child No. 46 has been found in oral tradition in West Virginia, some of the riddles which occur in the old-world ballad are also in the traditional song known as "The Riddle Song-" Because of the apparent relationship, we are identifying the "Riddle song" here so that the student of folk song can make the comparison with Child No. 46. sung by Mary Beth Workman, clay County.
1. I bought my love a cherry without a stone,
I bought my love a chicken without a bone
I bought my love a story without any end,
I bought my love a baby with no crying.
2 How can there be a cherry without a stone?
How can there be a chicken without a bone?
How can there be a story without any end?
How can there be a baby with no crying?
3 Well, a cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone,
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone,
The story of our love, it has no end,
A baby when it's sleeping, there's no crying.