Here's another version of "A Man of Words" that I found in an old Mudcat thread. I've taken the liberty of reposting it rather than just linking to it; though I will include the link:

Subject: RE: Help: Political Satire in nursery rhymes
From: Metchosin - PM
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 02:22 AM

Murray, she also sang another version of Coulters Candy other than the ones in the DT, but my Mom can't remember if they just added the other part on and used the same tune.

Owa Dowa, Owa Dowa Dee (Coulter's Candy)

Chorus:
Owa Dowa, Owa Dowa Dee
Sittin' on her mammy's knee
Greetin' fur a bonnie bobbie,
Tae buy a sugar candy.

I know a man, a man indeed
Sowed his garden full of seeds
And when those seeds began to grow
Like a garden full of snow
And when that snow began to melt
Like a ship without a belt
And when that ship began to sail
Like a bird without a tail
And when that bird began to fly
Like a diamond In the sky
And when that sky began to roar
Like a lion at my door
And when that door began to crack
Like a stick across my back
Crack goes one
Crack goes two
Crack goes my hand over you.

I came to a river,
I couldn't get across
I paid ten shillings for an old blind horse,
I jumped on his back,
His bones gave a crack,
I played on the fiddle 'till the boat came back,
The boat came back,
We all jumped in,
The boat capsized and we all fell in,
Crack goes one,
Crack goes two,
Crack goes my hand over you.

thread.cfm?threadid=16116#151132

-snip-

The song "I went to the river, but I couldn't get across" is found in Thomas Talley's "Negro Folk Rhymes". I guess it's not peculiar that it's combined with this song as Talley {and others, I'm guessing} have it combined with a number of secular {and probably also religious} songs.