Hi Rebecca!

"The Song of the Riddles" above is one of the so-called Child Ballads (#86), usually entitled "Captain Wedderburn's Courtship." I heard the late Joe Heaney, from Carna, Co. Galway, sing this song many times when he lived in New York. This ballad came to Ireland from Scotland but the story goes back to Roman times if not before. The version below is in my book, A Bonnie Bunch of Roses.

CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP
(Traditional - Child #86)

A Gentleman's fair daughter walked down a narrow lane.
She met with Captain Wedderburn, the keeper of the game.
He said unto his servant man, "If it was not for the law,
I would have that maid in bed with me and she'd lie next to the wall."

"Oh, go your way, young man," she says, "and do not bother me.
Before I spend one night with you, you must answer my questions three.
Three questions you must answer me and I'll set forth them all,
Before you lie one night with me aand I lie next the wall."

"Oh, for my breakfast you must get for me a cherry without a stone,
And for my dinner you must get for me a bird without a bone,
And for my supper you must get for me a bird without a gall,
Ere you and I in one bed lie and I lie next the wall."

"Well, the cherry when in blossom it surely has no stone
And when the bird is in the egg it surely has no bone.
The dove it is a gentle bird and flies without a gall.
Now you and I in one bed'll lie and I'll lie next the wall."

"Oh, go your way, young man," she says, "and do not me perplex."
Before you lie one night with me, you must answer my questions six.
Six questions you must answer me and I'll set forth them all
Before you lie one night with me and I lie next the wall."

"What is rounder than a ring? What is taller than a tree?
What is worse than a woman's rath? What is deeper than the sea?
What bird sings best? What tree buds first and on it the dew first falls?
Ere you and I in one bed lie and I lie next the wall."

"The world is rounder than a ring. Heaven's higher than a tree.
The Devil's worse than a woman's rath. Hell's deeper than the sea.
The lark sings best. The oak buds first and on it the dew first falls.
Now you and I in one bed must lie and you lie next the wall."

"First you must get me Winter fruit that in December grew.
You must get for me a silk mantle that weft nor warp went through,
A sparrow's horn, a priest unborn to join us both in twa,
Ere you and I in one bed lie and I lie next the wall."

"My father had some Winter fruit that in December grew.
My mother had a silk mantle that weft nor warp went through.
A sparrow's horn is easily found, there's one in every claw,
And Mellisitik is a priest unborn and you'll lie next the wall."

The tune is usually called "Come All Ye Tramps and Hawkers" or "Paddy West."

Some of us, certainly, would be interested in hearing a little about your grandmother. She had an interesting repertoire of old and newer songs. Where was she born? Where did she learn her songs?

All the best,
Dan Milner