Have no special take on that, Mike; shall have to give it some thought.

But, a caveat or maybe a defence ~~ your asking me suggests that you think I find symbol-hunting enjoyable and rewarding, and spend my time looking for them. Not so: like you & Steve, I find many such claims unconvincing and their pursuit and exposition tiresome. (I, don't forget, am he who interviewed the Opies for Folk Review and put into wider circulation Peter's dismissal of the 'plague' interpretations of Ring-o'-Roses, which I have always thought a real 'bright idea' of C19 fakelore, as "folklore about folklore".) It was just that I was an itsy-bitsy bit incensed at the vehemence of your taking me to task for having had the temerity to cite one such suggestion from one who seemed to me a reasonably competent and respectable authority, which I thought that those who had troubled to click on this thread might find of interest if they were not previously aware of it, as perpetuating "rubbish".   I do not necessarily urge symbolism in 'foggy dew'; I simply decline to discount the very possibility of it quite so absolutely as you & Steve would appear to have it, and still fail to find myself in any way at fault for having mentioned it. & please don't again deny any such implication ~~ "Why, oh why" right back to you.

Best as ever

~M~