To answer Colin's question (26 Jun 11 - 08:04 AM):
Le petit navire: I'd never heard of any version in which the young boy was eaten before I heard June's version. Though... in Diapason Turquoise #1, Les Presses de l'Ile de France, 2001 they say, "'Il était un petit navire (La courte paille)' Paroles et musiques traditionnelles (chanson de gaillard d'avant du XIXe siècle) Il s'agit du dernier avatar, daté du milieu du XIXe siècle, d'une chanson de gaillard d'avant du XVIe siècle qui a essaimé dans toute l'Europe. Dans la version d'origine, le caractère dramatique était nettement plus affirmé." = "'Il était un petit navire' (La courte paille) Traditional lyrics and music (forecastle song from the 19th century). It's the last avatar, from the mid 1800's, of a 16th century forecastle song that spread all over Europe. In the original version, the dramatic nature was much more marked."
But I couldn't come across such a version. In some they discuss the sauce in some they don't, but the young boy isn't eaten.
In at least one Spanish version they do eat the poor young guy with a white sauce and xeres for his being the plumpest but God sends a storm as a punishment and the boat and the crew sink.