There was a Lady in the West; Child Version E; Riddles Wisely Expounded
[I've placed same text with the refrain written each time below. This was added in Volume 5 as a suppliment to Child text A-D since the text was probably not available when Volume 1 was published. R. Matteson 2011]
Mason, 1878, p. 31. Also in Broadwood and Maitland, 1893, pp. 6-7. Sung in Northumberland. Reprinted again in the 1908 ed. of Mason, where Miss Mason adds that the song was traditional in her mother's family, the Mitfords, of Mitford, Northumberland. As said above, the D'Urfey tune can be discerned behind the first half of this one. Also in Bronson.
There was a Lady in the West
There was a lady in the West,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom,
She had three daughters of the best,
Fa lang the dillo,
Fa lang the dillo, dillo, dee.
There came a stranger to the gate,
And he three days and nights did wait,
The eldest daughter did open the door,
The second set him on the floor,
The third daughter she brought a chair,
And placed it that he might sit there,
(To first daughter)
"Now answer me these questions three,
Or you shall surely go with me,"
(To second daughter)
"Now answer me these questions six,
Or you shall surely be Old Nick's."
(To all three)
"Now answer me these questions nine,
Or you shall surely all be mine."
"What is greener than the grass?
What is smoother than crystal glass?"
"What is louder than a horn?
What is sharper than a thorn?"
"What is brighter than the light?
What is darker than the night?"
"What is keener than an axe?
What is softer than melting wax?"
"What is rounder than a ring?"
"To you we thus our answers bring."
"Envy is greener than the grass,
Flattery smoother than crystal glass."
"Rumour is louder than a horn,
Hunger is sharper than a thorn."
"Truth is brighter than the light,
Falsehood is darker than the night."
"Revenge is keener than an axe,
Love is softer than melting wax."
"The world is rounder than a ring,
To you we thus our answers bring."
"Thus you have our answers nine,
And we never shall be thine."
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There was a Lady in the West;
Child 1 Riddles Wisely Expounded; Version E
From Miss M.H. Mason's Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs, p. 31; sung in Northumberland.
1 There was a lady in the West,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
She had three daughters of the best.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
2 There came a stranger to the gate,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
And he three days and nights did wait.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
3 The eldest daughter did ope[n] the door,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
The second set him on the floor.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
4 The third daughter she brought a chair,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
And placed it that he might sit there.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
(To first daughter.)
5 'Now answer me these questions three,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Or you shall surely go with me.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
(To second daughter.)
6 'Now answer me these questions six,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Or you shall surely be Old Nick's.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
(To all three.)
7 'Now answer me these questions nine,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Or you shall surely all be mine.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo deeall three.
8 'What is greener than the grass?
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
What is smoother than crystal glass?
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
9 'What is louder than a horn?
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
What is sharper than a thorn?
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
10 'What is brighter than the light?
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
What is darker than the night?
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
11 'What is keener than an axe?
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
What is softer than melting wax?
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
12 'What is rounder than a ring?'
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
'To you we thus our answers bring.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
13 'Envy is greener than the grass,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Flattery smoother than crystal glass.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
14 'Rumour is louder than a horn,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Hunger is sharper than a thorn.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
15 'Truth is brighter than the light,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Falsehood is darker than the night.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
16 'Revenge is keener than an axe,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
Love is softer than melting wax.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
17 'The world is rounder than a ring,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
To you we thus our answers bring.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
18 'Thus you have our answers nine,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
And we never shall be thine.'
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee