US and Canada Versions: Child No. 1- The Devil’s Nine Questions
[Traditional versions of this ballad are rare in the US and one (see below [1]), a mixture of two ballads (Child 3 and Child 1), has been recovered in Canada. One of the more popular versions, Texas Gladden's 1941 recording by Lomax, was actually taken from an earlier collected traditional version (1922 by Mrs. Rill Martin) and is therefore strictly not traditional but a cover song. There are short fragments: The Maine fragment published in Robert P. Tristram Coffin's 1947 Lost Paradise, p.199 which is two lines sung by his cousin Laura when he was a child:
'The eldest sister let him in
And barred the door with a silver pin'.
The Michigan fragment (see text below) is just four questions. Flanders B and C are fragments. Barry includes (1929 British Ballads from Maine) a partial text that was recognized by George O'Mar- when shown Child's printed text. This kind of prompting is not valid unless the informant sings or recites his own version-- which in this case he did not, so I'm not sure why Barry would report this.
The earliest collected and published versions [2] in the US are the cante-fables "The Marriage of the Evil One," (1898) JAFL and "The Devil's Marriage" taken from Carter Young (1917), which he heard in Macon, Georgia. Young was born circa 1847 in Guilford Co. NC. It was published in Tales from Guilford County, North Carolina by Elsie Clews Parsons; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 30, No. 116 (Apr. - Jun., 1917), pp. 168-200. Another cante-fable titles "The Three Sisters" was collected in Jamaica and published in 1904.
Bronson gives "The Three Riddles," collected from Florence Mixer in Maine by Bayard and Barry as an appendix. I'll include it as an Appendix and also is found attached to this page. This version is from the early 1800s as Frank Mixer born in 1854 learned it when he was a boy from his uncle. Barry says it may well be traced back a century (c. 1836).
Several of the versions in my collection below are of questionable authenticity and may not be traditional (Numbers 3, 4, 8 and 11.) Others (2, 5) may be influenced by print or were recently collected versions.
Most version only have eight questions. Here's one example of the ninth question from "The Devil's Nine Questions" sung by Mary Estep, Clay Co. KY 1958, known by her grandfather:
9. And this is the last of the nine
Are you are God's or mine?
I'm God's I'll have you know,
And with you I won't go.
R. Matteson Jr. 2011, 2015]
1. The 1932 version titled, False Knight on the Road by Henneberry of Devil's Island, Nova Scotia should be considered a version also of Child No. 1 which it becomes after the opening verse:
The False Knight On The Road- Sung by Mr. Faulkner completed by Ben Henneberry; Devil's Island, Nova Scotia; published in 1932; Creighton.
Oh what have you in your bag, what have you in your pack?
Cried the false knight to the child on the road
I have a little primer[1] and a piece of bread for dinner
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.
CHORUS: Hi diddle deedle dum, deedle diddle deedle dum
Deedle deedle deedle diddle deedle deedle dum.
Diddle diddle dee, deedle deedle deedle dum
Diddle diddle diddle deedle diddle dee de dum.
["Would you sit down and share, or would you sit down and dine?"
Cried the false knight to the child on the road.
"I would divide my dinner if I thought you were in need."
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.] [2]
What is rounder than a ring, what is higher than a king
Cried the false knight to the child on the road?
The sun is rounder than a ring, God is higher than a king
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.
What is whiter than the milk, what is softer than the silk?
Cried the false knight to the child on the road.
Snow is whiter than the milk, down is softer than the silk
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.
What is greener than the grass, what is worse than women coarse?
Cried the false knight to the child on the road
Poison's greener than the grass, the devil's worse than women coarse
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.
What is longer than the wave, what is deeper than the sea?
Cried the false knight to the child on the road
Hell is longer than the wave, love is deeper than the sea
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old.
Oh a curse upon your father, and a curse upon your mother
Cried the false knight to the child on the road
Oh, a blessing on my father, and a blessing on my mother
Cried the pretty little child only seven years old
1. Children's book
2. An additional verse remembered by Henneberry from Creighton and Senior 1950
2. The Michigan fragment of Child 1 (B. L. Jones, in Kalamazoo Normal Record, May, 1914, P. 300) is not a complete version and only supplies four questions with no information about where and when was collected. See the text below:
IV. American Versions of English and Scottish Ballads.
I use the titles and numbers adopted by Professor Child.*
1. Riddles Wisely Expound (No. 1).
It begins—
What is rounder than a ring?
What is deeper than the sea?
What is higher than the sky?
What is worse than women kind?]
CONTENTS (individual texts are attached on left hand column or click title):
1. The Bride of the Evil One- (LA) 1898 Cooke JAFL; A cante-fable version collected from "Old William" an African-American gardener and published in the 1898 Journal of American Folk-lore, page 126. This is the earliest published version in the US or Canada with the ballad text.
2. The Three Sisters- (JM) 1907 Jekyll; A cante-fable version from Walter Jekyll's 1907 book, Jamaican Song and Story; p. 26. Notes by Lucy Broadwood.
3. Riddles Widely Expounded (MI) 1914 Fragment (see above) from B. L. Jones, in Kalamazoo Normal Record, May, 1914, P. 300
4. The Devil's Marriage- Young (NC-GA) 1917 Parsons; A cante-fable version from Georgia taken from Carter Young, which he heard in Macon, Georgia. Young was born circa 1847 in Guilford Co. NC. It was published in Tales from Guilford County, North Carolina by Elsie Clews Parsons; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 30, No. 116 (Apr. - Jun., 1917), pp. 168-200.
5. The Devil's Nine Questions- Martin (VA) 1922 Davis by the collector Alfreda Peel, from a Mrs Rill Martin of Mechanicsburg, VA. The two recordings based on this version are sung by Texas Gladden, also by Peggy Seeger.
6. The Devil’s Questions- from the singing of Blanche Kelley, Gilmer County, WV; According to The English Riddle Ballads by Susan Edmunds, this version was "collected" by Patrick W. Gainer c. 1924. This would be when he was a student collector with Woofter at the University of West Virginia. You can hear Gainer sing this version on-line. It's also published in Gainer's Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills, 1975. As with all of Ganier's versions, the legitimacy is questionable.
7. The Devil's Questions- Stallcup (NC) 1933 John Jacob Niles; Version A
8. The Three Riddles- sung by Florence Mixer (ME) 1934 Barry BFSSNE , Stonington, Maine, 1936; learned from her father.
9. What is Rounder?- Sullivan (VT) 1934 Flanders B
10. What is Whiter?- Hough (VT) 1940 Flanders C
11. The Devil's Nine Questions- Gladden (VA) 1941 REC by the collector Alan Lomax, from Texas Gladden.
12. Child Riddles- Sung by Horton Barker (VA) 1941 from the recording made by Dr. W. A. Abrams, at Boone, Watauga county, on September 14, 1941 (Brown Collection of NC Folklore)
13. Sing Ninety-Nine and Ninety- Ivery (WV) 1941 Carpenter
14. The Devil's Questions- (VA) pre1946 Chasefrom: Songs of all Time- 1946 page 11 and reprinted in American Folk Tales and Songs- 1956 page 110; both by Richard Chase. The 1956 version has a different refrain.
15. The Eldest Sister Coffin (ME) 1947 fragment (see above)
16. There Was a Man Lived in the West-(VT) Eldred 1955 Helen Hartness Flanders printed a Vermont version in Ancient Ballads Traditionally Sung in New England 1 pp.45-50 (version A) sung by Mrs. Hattie Eldredge Hardwick collected by Marguerite Olney. Reprinted in Riddling Tales from around the World by Marjorie Dundas.
17. The Devil's Nine Questions- Mary Estep (KY) 1958 Roberts; known by her grandfather. Her great aunt helped with the verses.
18. The Devil's Nine Questions- Creighton (KY) 1962 Foss
19. The Devil's Nine Questions- sung by Nancy Philley (AR) in 1963- Max Hunter Collection
20. Devil's Nine Questions- Drain (OK) pre1964 Moores
21. Nine Questions- Tuckwiller (WV) pre1971 Boette; collected by Vivian Richardson. Greenbriar Co., WV. (No Date Given: before 1971)
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NOTES: Child No. 1 Riddles Widely Expounded is found in the US usually under the title The Devil’s Nine Questions. This is a series of riddles the Devil asks “the weaver’s bonny” that she must must solve or be taken off to Hell. Traditional versions of the ballad are rare in the US.
Curiously, many US versions titled "The Devil's Nine Questions" have only eight riddles or questions!
Bronson prints one US melody from Virginia collected in 1922 from Mrs. Rill Martin (reprinted from Traditional Ballads from Virginia). Lomax prints the similar melody collected from Texas Gladden which has been covered more recently by Elizabeth LaPrelle.
Mike Yates wrote, "We are told that Texas Gladden learnt her version of The Devil's Nine Questions from the collector Alfreda Peel, who had previously noted the songs from a Mrs Rill Martin of Mechanicsburg, VA, before passing it on to Texas."
Another well-known US riddle song "I Gave my Love A Cherry" comes also from an English song from the 1500s. It is not included in the 305 Child ballads but has been attached to it by some folk scholars and collectors including Niles.
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[This little known African-American cante-fable was chanted but it was also sung. From Carter Young, heard in Macon, Georgia. Young was born circa 1847 in Gilford Co. NC.
R. Matteson 2013]
From: Tales from Guilford County, North Carolina
by Elsie Clews Parsons
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 30, No. 116 (Apr. - Jun., 1917), pp. 168-200
En behol'! next mornin' what should we see but the Devil comin'. [1] He went up to de gate. He says,[2] -
"Enbody here?
Enbody here?
Name Ma'y Brown
Genral Cling town.[3]
Ol' witch [4] says, -
"Somebody here,
Somebody here.
Name Ma'y Brown
Genral Cling town.
"What is whiter,
What is whiter,
Than any sheep's down
In Genral Cling town?
"Snow is whiter,
Snow is whiter,
Than any sheep's down
In Genral Cling town.
"What is greener,
What is greener,
Than any wheat growed
In Genral Cling town?
"Grass is greener,
Grass is greener,
Than any wheat growed
In Genral Cling town.
"What is bluer,
What is bluer,
Than anything down
In Genral Cling town?
"The sky is bluer,
The sky is bluer,
Than anything down
In Genral Cling town.
"What is louder,
What is louder,
Than any horns down
In Genral Cling town?
"Thunder is louder,
Thunder is louder,
Than any horns down
In Genral Cling town." [5]
Ol' Bad Man (ol' Scratch) said he won her soul. Ol' witch taken sole off shoe en throw at him. He jumped at it en took it down. [6]
Footnotes:
1 Ol' Betty turned an' went back to his master. That man know that Betty turn up to dat lady's house an' car'ed her home. He gettin' in his cheriot an' come back as hard as he could.
2 Young chanted the following. Obviously he had originally heard it sung.
3 "That was hell."
4 Variant: The lady brother went an' got an ol' woman who could answer that ol' man's questions. If that ol' woman couldn't have answered one of them questions, she'd [he'd] have got that girl.
5. Compare JAFL 12 : 129, 130.
6. Variant: He said, "Skip er light, Betty, an' go 'long."
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[The Bride of the Evil One is a cante-fable collected from "Old William" an African-American gardener and published in the 1898 Journal of American Folk-lore, page 126. This is the earliest published version in the US or Canada with the sung ballad text. See Cooke's note that follows.
Cooke's Note. — The above story was told me by " Old William," my negro gardener, in New Orleans. He said that he was born, and mostly brought up, in Martinique — although he had lived many years in Louisiana. He spoke, quite well for a negro, English, French, and Spanish, and was altogether a "character." He claimed to know a great many similar stories.
THE BRIDE OF THE EVIL ONE
In former times there lived, on a great plantation far out in the country, the richest and most beautiful lady in the world. Her name was Maritta, and she was beloved by all who knew her, espe. daily so by her parents, with whom she dwelt.
She was so rich that one could not count her wealth in many days; and her home was a palace, filled with rare things from all quarters of the globe. Rich hangings of damask and tapestry adorned the walls, and massive and wonderfully carved furniture filled the rooms. Instead of gilt, as is usual in splendid mansions, the mirrors and pictures were framed in gold, silver, and even precious stones. Then, the dining-table was a wonder to behold — glittering with costly glass and golden service. The lady Maritta always ate from a jewelled platter with a golden spoon; and her rooms were filled with wondrous vases, containing delicious spices and rare perfumes of many kinds.
Half the brave and daring fine gentlemen of her country had sought her hand in marriage; but her parents always declared that each was not rich enough. So loath were her parents to give her up, that they finally said she should never marry unless she could view her suitor ten thousand miles down the road.
Now, as roads in general are not straight for so great a distance, — to say nothing of one's eyesight, — the poor lady was quite in .despair, and had almost decided to remain a spinster.
At last the Evil One, seeing the covetousness of this old couple, procured for himself an equipage of great magnificence, and went a-wooing. His coach was made of beaten gold, so ablaze with precious stones that the sun seemed mean in comparison with it. Maritta beheld it thirty thousand miles off, and all the household were called out to view it; for such a wonder had never been seen in that part of the world. But so great was the Evil One's power for conjuring that he was a very short time in arriving. He drove up to the door with so grand a dash and clatter and style that Maritta thought she had never beheld as princely a personage. When he had alighted most gracefully, uncovering and bowing to the mother and father, he knelt at the feet of Maritta, kissed her hand, and turning to her astonished parents, asked the hand of their daughter in marriage. So pleased were they all with his appearance that the wedding was hastened that very day. After the marriage compact was completed Maritta bade adieu to her proud parents; and tripping lightly into his coach, they drove away with great effect.
Then they journeyed and journeyed, and every fine house or plantation which they approached, Maritta would exclaim: "Is that your home, my dear?" "No, darling," he would reply with a knowing smile, "my house is another cut to that." Still they journeyed: and just as Maritta was beginning to feel very weary they approached a great hill, from which was issuing a cloud of black smoke, and she could perceive an enormous hole in the side of the hill, which appeared like the entrance to a tunnel. The horses were now prancing and chafing at the bits in a most terrifying manner; and Maritta thought she saw flames coming from out their nostrils. Just as she was catching her breath to ask the meaning of it all, the coach and party plunged suddenly into the mouth of the yawning crater, and they sank down, down into that place which is called Torment. The poor trembling lady went into a swoon, and knew nothing more until she awoke in the House of Satan. But she did not yet know that it was the Evil One whom she had married, nor that, worse still, he was already a married man when she had made his acquaintance. Neither did she know that the frightful old crone was his other wife. Satan's manner had also undergone a decided change; and he, who had been so charming a lover, was now a blustering, insolent master. Lifting his voice until it shook the house, as when it thunders, he stormed around, beating the old hag, killing her uncanny black cat, and raising a tumult generally. Then, ordering the hag to cook him some buckwheat cakes for breakfast, he stamped out of the house, towards his blacksmith shop, to see how his hands were doing their work. While the wretched young wife sat in her parlor, looking very mournful and lovely, wiping her eyes and feeling greatly mystified, the old hag was turning her cakes on the griddle and growing more and more jealous of this beautiful new wife who was to take her place. Finally she left the cakes and came and stood by Maritta. "My child," quoth she, "my dear daughter, have you married that man?" "Yes, dame," replied the pretty Maritta. "Well, my child," said she, "you have married nothing but the Devil." At this the wretched young wife uttered a scream and would have swooned again, except that the hag grasped her by the arm, and putting a rough horny hand over Maritta's mouth, said in a low and surly voice, near her ear: "Hist! Should he hear you, he will kill us both! Only do my bidding, and keep a quiet tongue, and I will show you how to make your escape." At this Maritta sat up quite straight, and said in trembling tones: "Good dame, prithee tell me, and I will obey, and when I am free, I will send you five millions of dollars." But the forlorn hag only shook her head, replying: "Money I ask not, for it is of no use to such as I; but listen well." Then seating herself on the floor at the feet of Maritta, her black hair hanging in tangles about her sharp ugly face, like so many serpents, she continued in this wise: "He has two roosters who are his spies, and you must give them a bushel of corn to pacify them — but I shall steal the corn for you. He also has two oxen; one is as swift of foot as the wind can blow; the other can only travel half as fast. You will have to choose the last, as the swift one is too well guarded for us to reach him. The slower one is tethered just outside the door. Come!" she cried to Maritta, who would have held back, "a faint heart will only dwell in Torment." At this thought the poor Maritta roused herself, and summoned all her strength. Her hair had now fallen loose and she was all in tears. But she mounted quickly, looking over her shoulder, to see if he was coming even then. "But dame," cried she, "will he not overtake me, if his ox is so much more fleet of foot than mine?" "Hold your slippery tongue," replied the hag, "and mark my words. Here is a reticule to hang at your side; this is a brickbat which I put in the bottom, and on that I place a turkey egg and a goose egg. When you feel the hot steam coming near you, drop the brickbat — for he will soon return, and missing you, will start on your chase, mounted on the ox. As he approaches near, you will feel the heat of his breath like hot steam. When you drop the brickbat a wall will spring up from the earth to the sky; and the Devil cannot pass it until he tears down every brick, and throws it out of sight. When you feel the hot steam again, drop the turkey egg, and there will come a river; and when he reaches this river he cannot cross over until his ox drinks all the water. Do the same with the goose egg, and a river will again flow behind you, thus giving you more time in which to reach home. Now off with you, and Devil take you, if you don't hold on tight and keep up your spirits. But, hark ye, if he catches you, I will poison you when you come back At this terrible threat the lovely Maritta was so frightened that she forgot to thank the old hag or say good-by. In the twinkling of an eye the weird-looking creature had raised her mighty arm, and gurgling out a frightful laugh, she lashed the ox with a huge whip. Away he sped, verily as fleet as the wind, with the beautiful lady clinging on, her arms wound around his neck, and her soft face buried in his shaggy hair. Onward they floated, above the earth, it seemed to Maritta, over hills and plains, through brake and swamp. Just as the lady began to rejoice at being set free, — for it seemed a kind ox, and, after all, it was not so very hard to hold on, as she glided along, — she heard a piercing shriek behind her; and suddenly a burning hot steam seemed to envelop her. Thinking of the brickbat, in an instant she snatched it from the reticule — almost breaking the eggs in her haste — and flung it behind her, nearly suffocated with the heat. Then she turned to look: and lo! a great dark wall shut the awful sight from her gaze.
Onward, onward they sped, as she urged the ox by kind words, stroking his great neck with her delicate white hands. After they had traversed a great distance, Maritta began to think of home and the loved ones, when her reveries were broken by a gaunt black hand clutching at her hair over the back of the ox; and again she felt the intense heat. Too terrified to put her hand in the reticule, she gave it a shake, and the turkey egg fell to the ground On the instant water was flowing all about her, cooling the air and quite reviving her. Then a harsh voice fell upon her ear, crying: "Drink, drink, I tell you; mighty hard on you, but you must drink!"
Soon the river was left far behind, and again Maritta aroused herself as she began to notice many familiar landmarks, which told that she was nearing home. After urging the ox on at a great rate for many more miles, she dropped the goose egg, in order to give herself ample time, although as yet she had not again felt the approach of her fiendish husband. At length the welcome sight of her own broad fields greeted her anxious and weary eyes; and soon her dear home arose upon the horizon. With a few more strides the wonderful ox halted at her own very door, and she fell from his back more dead than alive. For some moments she was unable to rise and embrace her alarmed parents, who had seen her approach. They had only had time to retire into the house, when Satan rode up to the steps. Throwing himself from the ox, he banged for admittance, in a vastly different manner from that of his first visit. But the father confronted him, and he had to content himself with talking to Maritta over her father's shoulders, — while the poor lady was cowering in a corner of the room clinging to her mother. However, the touch of loving parental arms soon reassured her, and she demanded of Satan what he wished further. "I have," replied his Satanic majesty, "three questions to propound to you; and if not properly answered, I shall take you by force again to my realms." Then placing his feet wide apart, with head thrown back, one arm akimbo on his hip, and snapping the fingers of his other hand, he sang in an impudent, swaggering manner:—
What is whiter than any snow?
What is whiter than any snow?
Who fell in the colley well?
The gentle Maritta lifted her soft eyes, and raising her sweet voice sang in a pure and tender strain:
Heaven is whiter than any snow,
Heaven is whiter than any snow,
Who fell in the colley well?
"Yes, ma'am," replied Satan, rather taken aback. "That's right." Then he continued : —
What is deeper than any well?
What is deeper than any well?
Who fell in the colley well?
Maritta replied in the same strain: —
Hell is deeper than any well,
Hell is deeper than any well,
Who fell in the colley well?
Again the Evil One took up his strain: —
What is greener than any grass?
What is greener than any grass?
Who fell in the colley well?
Maritta lifted her voice a third time: —
Poison is greener than any grass,
Poison is greener than any grass,
Who fell in the colley well?
Greatly confounded at her answers, the Evil One stamped his feet in such a manner that smoke and sparks flew upward, and an odor of sulphur filled the room. Then turning on his heels he cried to the mother that he had left a note under the doorsteps with the Devil's own riddle on it.
A thousand or more acres of green corn grew about the house; and the Devil, pulling it all up by the roots, carried it in his hands, tore the roof off the mansion, and raising a fearful storm, disappeared in it. When the storm had abated, the mountains around about were all levelled to the ground. After the panic caused by his wonderful conjuring had subsided, the mother bethought herself of the note, and when found it read as follows : —
Nine little white blocks into a pen,
One little red block rolled over them.
None could guess it save Maritta, who said it meant the teeth and tongue.
Elisabeth Johnston Cooke.
Macon, Ga.
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A CRITICAL, BIBLIOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF THE TRADITIONAL BALLAD IN AMERICA- Tristram Coffin 1950
1. RIDDLES WISELY EXPOUNDED
Texts: Barry, Brit Bids Me, 4.29 / BFSSNE, X, 8; XII, 8 / R.P.T. Coffin, Lost Paradise. 199 / Davis, Trd Bid Va, 59 / JAFL, XII, 129 / Jones, F-L Mich, 5 / Niles, Bids Crls Tgc Lgds, z I Va FLS Bull, #10, 5.
Local Titles: Riddles Wisely Expounded, The Devil and the Nine Questions, The Devil's Nine Questions, The Nine Questions, The Three Riddles.
Story Types: A: A dialogue with, the speakers named. The Devil, on the threat of removing a girl to Hell, asks her what is whiter than milk, louder than a horn, higher than a tree, more innocent than a lamb, etc. The maid answers snow, thunder, Heaven, a babe, etc. and names the Devil. The latter then admits defeat. Examples: Davis.
B : The same sort of motif as that of Type A is used, but when the girl answers the questions and names the Devil, he says he will take her to Hell regardless. Examples: Niles.
C: A lesson in the way to get a lover. The Devil has become a cavalier, and there are three pretty maids in search of a man. The youngest, who knows the answers, wins the cavalier.
Examples : BFSSNE, X, 8.
Discussion: The Type A and Type B American texts, which are extremely rare, are closest to the Child A*, C, and D versions in their obvious concern with the Devil. (See Davis, Trd Bld Va. 59 for a comparison of the Virginia texts with Child.) The song seems to have originally been a battle of wits between the Devil and a girl (cf. Child A*) which was first secularized and then rationalized. It was discovered late in America, first by Alfreda Peel, and printed by Davis with the Virginia Collection. (See Davis > Trd Sid Va. 46 7 for an account of the discovery.)
The Type C text uncovered by Barry in New England traces back to Child Ad indirectly. See BFSSNE, XII, 9 where the history of the "cavalier" form of the ballad is given from d'Urfey's Pills to Purge Melancholy through the German translation by Herder (cf . Goethe's opera die Fischerin) back to an English re-translation by William Aytoun in Blackwood's Magazine, LVII, 173 5. Comparative texts and a discussion of this re-emergence of a folk song are given here.
Also check BFSSNE, X, 9 where the romantic and homelitic forms of this song are briefly discussed, and the idea that the Child F and Jones, jF-i Mich, 5 texts are members of the Captain Wedderburn's Courtship (46) tradition is expressed.
Elizabeth Cooke (JAFL, XII, 29) incorporates the riddle portion of the ballad in a story, The Bride of the Evil One, told her by a Martinique Negro from New Orleans. The girl in this story confounds Satan much as she does in the ballad.
The common American refrain is the "ninety-nine and ninety-weavers bonny" burden.