This riddle was first published in 1843 in Traditional Nursery Songs of England with Pictures.
The most common version as we know it today appeared in 1912 in Jessica Wilcox Smith’s The Little Mother Goose.
Below you can find both versions of this riddle:
Riddle:
Little Nancy Etticoat
In a white petticoat,
And a red nose;
She has no feet or hands
The longer she stands
The shorter she grows
Older Version
Little Nan Etticoat
In a white petticoat
And a red nose,
The longer she stands,
The shorter she grows.
(click on the riddle to find out the answer)
Answer: A lit candle.