Digital Tradition Mirror

The Devil's Nine Questions

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Devil's Nine Questions

If you don't answer my questions nine
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety,
I'll take you off to hell alive,
  And you are the weaver's bonny.

What is whiter than milk?
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
What is softer than silk?
  Say you're the weaver's bonny."

Snow is whiter than milk,
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
Down is softer than silk,
  And I'm the weaver's bonny."

What is louder than a horn?
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
What is sharper than a thorn?
  Sing I am the weaver's bonny.

Thunder's louder than a horn,
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety ;
Death is sharper than a thorn,
  Sing I'm the weaver's bonny.

What is higher than a tree?
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
What is deeper than the sea?
  Sing I'm the weaver's bonny.

Heaven's higher than a tree,
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
And hell is deeper than the sea,
  Sing I'm the weaver's bonny.

What is innocenter than a lamb?
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
What is worse than womankind?
  Say I'm the weaver's bonny.

A babe is innocenter than a lamb,
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety ;
The devil's worse than womankind,
  Sing I'm the weaver's bonny."

You have answered me questions nine,
  Sing ninety-nine and ninety;
You are God's, you're not my own,
  And you're the weaver's bonny."

From Bronson, Singing Traditions of Child's Popular Ballads
Collected Mrs. Rill Martin, Virginia, 1922
Child #1
See also Bonnie Broom (Questions)
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!