The title-page of one edition reads thus: "The Booke of Merry Riddles. Together with proper Questions, and witty Proverbs to make pleasant pastime. No lesse usefull than behoovefull for any yong man or child, to know if he bee quick-witted, or no."
A few of the shortest riddles may be quoted as samples:—
"The li. Riddle.—My lovers will
I am content for to fulfill;
Within this rime his name is framed;
Tell me then how he is named?
Solution.—His name is William; for in the first line is will, and in the beginning of the second line is I am, and then put them both together, and it maketh William.
The liv. Riddle.—How many calves tailes will reach to the skye? Solution.—One, if it be long enough.
The lxv. Riddle.—What is that, round as a ball,
Longer than Pauls steeple,
weather-cocke, and all?
Solution.—It is a round bottome of thred when it is unwound.
The lxvii. Riddle.—What is that, that goeth thorow the wood, and toucheth never a twig? Solution.—It is the blast of a horne, or any other noyse."
A bottom of thread was a ball of it. The word occurs in The Taming of the Shrew (iv. 3. 138), where Grumio says, in the dialogue with the Tailor: "Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gown, sew me in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread; I said a gown." The verb is used in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (iii. 2. 53):—