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"Riddles Wisely Expounded" is a traditional English song, dating at least to 1450. It is Child Ballad 1 and Roud 161, and exists in several variants.〔Francis James Child, ("Riddles Wisely Expounded" )〕 The first known tune was attached to it in 1719. ==Synopsis== In the earliest surviving version of the song,〔Child, Additions and corrections to Ballad #1, in the appendix to Volume 5 of ''The English and Scottish Popular Ballads''〕 ''Inter diabolus et virgo'', "between the devil and the maiden" (mid-15th century), the "foul fiend" proposes to abduct a maiden unless she can answer a series of riddles. The woman prays to Jesus for wisdom, and answers the riddles correctly. In later versions, a knight puts a woman to test before he marries her (sometimes after seducing her), or a devil disguised as a knight tries to carry her off. The woman knows the answers, and thus either wins the marriage or is free of the devil. In the latter case, the last riddle is often "what is worse than woman?" (the devil). The riddles vary, but typical ones include *What is longer than the way? -- love *What is deeper than the sea? -- hell *What is louder than the horn? -- thunder *What is sharper than a thorn? -- hunger *What is whiter than milk? -- snow *What is softer than silk? -- down 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Riddles Wisely Expounded」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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