The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #103320   Message #2102875
Posted By: Azizi
14-Jul-07 - 10:19 PM
Thread Name: add/origins: A Man Of Words And Not Of Deeds
Subject: A Man Of Words And Not Of Deeds
I'm curious about the origin of this poem:

A MAN OF WORDS AND NOT OF DEEDS.   

A man of words and not of deeds
Is like a garden full of weeds;
And when the weeds begin to grow,
It's like a garden full of snow;
And when the snow begins to fall,
It's like a bird upon the wall;
And when the bird away does fly,
It's like an eagle in the sky;
And when the sky begins to roar,
It's like a lion at the door;
And when the door begins to crack,
It's like a stick across your back;
And when your back begins to smart,
It's like a penknife in your heart;
And when your heart begins to bleed,
You're dead, and dead, and dead indeed.

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/mother-goose/mother-goose%20-%200395.htm

This poem seems very similar to this children's handclap rhyme that Iona and Peter Opie include in their book "The Singing Game":

SAN-TEE-TI
San-tee-ti, san-tee-ti
San-tee doddle-um, doddle-um –di.
There was a farmer, so full of greed,
When the seed began to grow
Like a meadow full of snow.
When the snow began to melt,
Like a ship without a belt.
When the ship began to sail,
Like a bird without a tail.
When the bird began to fly,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the sky began to roar,
Like a lion at your door.
When the door began to crack,
Like a stick upon my back.
When my back began to smart.
Like a penknife in my heart.
When my heart began to bleed,
"Twas death and death and deth indeed.

Ipswich, c 1897; Usually 'There was a man indeed'. Versions , with or without the introductory sounds; Grols[ie, W.W.B. Nicholson, 1897 Games of Argyleshire, R.C. Maclagan, 1901, Kerr's Guild of Play, c. 1910; and from a number of correspondents. "The Singing Game";
p. 443; The Opies listed this as a handclap rhyme

**

I'm wondering if that children's rhyme is still known in England.

Also, I'm curious if you think I'm making too much of a stretch to see a connection between those two examples and the "There's A Place On Mars" {also called In The Land Of Mars" and "In The Land Of Oz"} children's handclap rhymes. Here's one example:

THERE'S A PLACE ON MARS
theres a place on mars
where the women smoke cigars
and the men wear bikinis
and the babies drink martinis
every step you take
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
you put diamonds on his head
when the diamonds crack
you put mustard on its back
when the mustard dries
its year 1969.
then you tell the king
and the king says FREEZE!
-September;http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; July 11, 2006

**

???

Thanks for any input. If you'd like to use this thread to share examples of any of these poems/rhymes, that would be great.

{I tried to look for previous Mudcat threads about any of these poem/rhymes/songs but couldn't find any. If there are any such threads or posts, I'd appreciate a link to them or mention of their thread}.

Thanks!