Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses/Nestor/027

From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Jump to navigation Jump to search


Annotations[edit | edit source]

027.05-10, 027.18 The cock crew... The fox burying his grandmother under a hollybush. This is a variation on a nonsense riddle cited by Patrick Weston Joyce in his 1910 book English as We Speak it in Ireland, p. 187:

Though Solomon solved all the puzzles propounded to him by the Queen of Sheba, I think this would put him to the pin of his collar. I learned it in Limerick two generations ago; and I have got a Wexford version from Mr. MacCall. Observe the delightful inconsequence of riddle and answer.
Riddle me, riddle me right:
What did I see last night?
The wind blew,
The cock crew,
The bells of heaven
Struck eleven.
'Tis time for my poor sowl to go to heaven.
Answer: the fox burying his mother under a holly tree.

References[edit | edit source]

Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses
Preceding Page | Page Index | Next Page