Western Winds, in the British Isles, pick up a lot of moisture from the Gulf Stream. Then they blow up to slightly higher altitudes over the warmer landmass, get cooled off, and can't hold their water, so to speak, and rain ensues.

They drop small raindrops (hence "small rain") because the clouds aren't towering thunderheads. Raindrops can only get as large as the cohesion strength of water, but big ones come from high altitudes, and small ones from lower altitudes.

Rain is associated with tears, sorrow, and depression (think low atmospheric pressure), and since losing a lover is usually associated with sadness, rain is an appropriate objective correlative.

What I REALLY want to know is what's so special about Spanish leather??? Is it cowhide? Is it tanned in some unusual fashion? Is it exceptionally durable? Soft? Or is it cheap? Perhaps it's not a positive thing, but a negative one--it's *not* durable, hence "boots of Spanish leather" would typify a love that didn't last...????

Can somebody tell us what made/makes Spanish leather so worthy of repeated mention in the folk tradition?

V