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The Devil’s Questions (Niles No. 1 A)*

“Red Devil Bat ” drawn with red colored pencil and black ink by Sandy R. Bender
* “The Devil’s Questions” lyrics sung by Hugh Stallcup and compiled in “The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles University Press of Kentucky) Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child No. 1) sung with original melody accompanied with guitar and additional guitar track by Sandy R. Bender

If you don’t answer my questions well,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

I’ll take you off, and I live in hell,

And you the weavering bonty.

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Oh, what is whiter far than milk?

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And what is softer far than silk?

And you the weavering bonty.

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Oh, snow is whiter far than milk

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And down is softer far than silk,

And me the weavering bonty.

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Oh, what is louder than a horn?

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And what is sharper than a thorn?

And you the weavering bonty.

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Oh, thunder’s louder than a horn,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And death is sharper than a thorn,

And me the weavering bonty.

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Oh, what is higher than a tree?

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And what is deeper than the sea?

And you the weavering bonty.

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Oh, heaven’s higher than a tree,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And hell is deeper than the sea,

And me the weavering bonty.

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Oh, what red fruit September grows?

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And what thing round the whole world goes?

And you the weavering bonty.

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The apple in September grows,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And air around the whole world goes,

And me the weavering bonty.

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Oh, what is wicked man’s repay?

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And what is worse than woman’s way?

And you the weavering bonty.

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Now, hell is wicked man’s repay,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

And a she-devil’s worse than woman’s way,

And me the weavering bonty.

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Oh, you have answered my questions well,

Sing ninety-nine and ninety,

But, I’ll take you off, ’cause I live in hell,

And you the weavering bonty.

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