A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/The Riddle
LXIV. THE RIDDLE
I had four brothers over the sea,
Perrie-merry-dixi, do-mi-ne;
And each sent a present unto me,
Petsum, Patsum, Paradixi,
Perrie-merry-dixi, do-mi-ne.
The first sent a chicken with out any bone,
Perrie, etc.
The second a cherry with out any stone,
Petsum, etc.
The third sent a book that no man could read,
Perrie, etc.
The fourth sent a blanket without any thread,
Petsum, etc.
How can there be a chicken without any bone?
Perrie, etc.
How can there be a cherry without any stone?
Petsum, etc.
How can there be a book that no man can read?
Perrie, etc.
How can there be a blanket without any thread?
Petsum, etc.
When the chicken is in the egg, it has no bone,
Perrie, etc.
When the cherry is in the blossom, it has no stone,
Petsum, etc.
When the book is in the press, no man may it read.
Perrie, etc.
When the blanket is in the fleece, it has no thread,
Petsum, etc.