Originally collected at Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, by the well-known Canadian folklorist Helen Creighton, the tune and text of this piece are variants of the popular and ubiquitous Riddle Song theme. In this arrangement for treble voices, oboe (or other melody instrument) and piano, the first (riddle) verse is presented by the choir in a simple two-part arrangement with some canonic imitation in phrases two and three.