Saturday, June 15, 2013

More Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes

While we’re on the subject, here are a few more rhymes my sister and I got hold of somewhere when we were kids.  How we enjoyed reciting them! and faulty memory or no, I have no trouble recalling these: 
             In the well the plumber built 'er,
             Aunt Liza fell.  We must buy a filter.

 Little Willie in the best of sashes, fell in the fire and burnt to ashes.
             The fire went out and the room got chilly,
             but nobody wanted to poke up Willie.

I had written Aunt Maude, who was traveling abroad.
            When I learned she died of cramp just to late to save the stamp.

 
I just made the mistake of googling to see if anyone else had ever heard of these – I should have known!  Should have learned my lesson that time  I went looking for an illustration of a buttonhook and ran into a large and active Buttonhook Society.  It seems these verses are known in some circles as Little Willies.  Right now there's a newspaper running a competition, a Little Willie Invitational. With prizes.  I’m not entering.
             It looks as if someone has collected 29 Little Willies.  You can see them at www.ruthlessrhymes.com.

 

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