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Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1) Lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer

Child Ballads

2013

There were three sisters in the north
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And they lived in their mother's house
And you'll beguile a lady soon
There came a man one evening late
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
He came knocking at the gate
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The eldest sister let him
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And locked the door with a silver pin
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The second sister made his bed
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And laid soft pillows 'neath his head
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The youngest sister, fair and bright
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
She lay beside him all through the night
And you'll beguile a lady soon
And in the morning, come the day
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
She said "Young man, will you marry me?"
And you'll beguile a lady soon
He said "Yes, I'll marry thee
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
If you can answer this for me:
And you'll beguile a lady soon
What is greener than the grass?
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And what is smoother than a glass?
And you'll beguile a lady soon
What is louder than a horn?
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And what is sharper than a thorn?
And you'll beguile a lady soon
What is deeper than the sea?
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
And what is longer than the way?"
And you'll beguile a lady soon
"Envy's greener than the grass
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
Flattery's smoother than the glass
And you'll beguile a lady soon
Rumour's louder than the horn
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
Slander's sharper than the thorn
And you'll beguile a lady soon
Regret is deeper than the sea
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
But love is longer than the way"
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The elder sister rang the bell
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
She rang it from the highest hill
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The second sister made the gown
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
She sewed it of a silk so fine
And you'll beguile a lady soon
The younger sister true and wise
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
They made of her a lovely bride
And you'll beguile a lady soon
And now fair maids are bid adieu
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
These parting words I'll leave with you
And you'll beguile a lady soon
May you always constant prove
Lay the bend to the bonny broom
Unto the one that you do love
And you'll beguile a lady soon
Credits
Anaïs Mitchell

Anaïs Mitchell

Jefferson Hamer

Jefferson Hamer

About “Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)” by Anaïs Mitchell

Read the complete lyrics to "Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)" by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer from the album "Child Ballads" in 2013. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop, Folk.

"Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)" is performed by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer. from the album "Child Ballads" in 2013 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)", explore more songs by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)" is credited to Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1)" appears on "Child Ballads" in 2013.

Visit the Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer artist page at /artist/anais-mitchell for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.