Hi

Isn't it wonderful how a song like this has spread all over the world?

I am from Sri Lanka and my father used to sing it - to me and my brothers and later to my sons. I guess he was fortunate enough to do that. As far as I can remember it was only the basic "duckpond" "under water hardly moving at all" verse - to the Gounod tune.

However he also used to sing "Oh no, we'll never get drunk no more" to the same tune - anyone remember that?

My father grew up in colonial Ceylon - in the 20's and 30's - and probably picked up the song at school or university in Ceylon - though he spent several years in Scotland and England later.

Nalin