Dear Bruce,

Turns out I've got TWO "Comin' Thro' The Rye"'s! There's the one from Bobby Burns, via my grandfather, about "Jenny's draighl't petticoatie," all but the last verse of which is in the DT. Checked my Burns and the last verse is truly his, so here it is (Dick, this really should be added to the DT, methinks!):

Gin a body meet a body
Comin' thro' the grain;
Gin a body kiss a body,
The thing's a body's ain.

Then there's the one I learned in elementary school, (which is the one of which I was thinking when I made the "starter" list), whose origins are unknown to me:

COMIN' THRO' THE RYE

Gin a body meet a body, comin' thro' th' Rye.
Gin a body kiss a body, need a body cry?
Ilka lassie has her laddie; nane, they say, hae I;
Yet a' the lads they smile on me,
When comin' thro' th' rye!

Gin a body meet a body, comin' frae th' toon;
Gin a body greet a body, need a body froon?
Amang th' train, there is a swain I dearly luve mysel',
But what's his name or where's his hame,
I dinna choose t' tell!

So, Bruce, if you're checking anyway, could you give us any additional information you might have? Thanks.

Dear fellow participants,

Don't want to hog this thread, but I recalled a charming little song about an enterprising, problem-solving, newly married ladybug, and couldn't find it in the DT. Hope it'll turn up the corners of everyone's lips, (wish I could share the catchy tune, too!):

THE LADYBUG AND THE CENTIPEDE

Oh, the ladybug and the centipede got married;
Oh, the ladybug and the centipede they wed.
On their wedding night, I heard it said,
Fifty-one pairs o' slippers were near that bed!
Hey, ho! Hey, ho! What a wonderful wedding day!

Oh, the ladybug thought the cricket's voice was gentle,
And an ant she knew was likely to succeed,
And the bee had a kiss that was sweet, indeed,--
But none could HUG like her centipede!
Hey, ho! Hey, ho! What a wonderful wedding day!

On their wedding night, they called each other, "Darlin;'"
Their happiness was total and complete, --
Until she slipped beneath the sheet, On her back, fifty pair of cold, cold feet! Hey, ho! Hey, ho! What a wonderful wedding day!

Next day the centipede he came home early, (rabbit!),
And his ladybug looked slyer than a fox.
She was sitting 'neath the hollyhocks,
Knitting lots and lots of little socks,
She winked her eye with a twinkle that seemed to say:
Hey, ho! (Hey, ho!) Hey, ho! (Hey, ho!)
Hey, ho! What a wonderful wedding day!

(This is the version sung by Leon Bibb.)

Cute, nu?

Shula