Then there's a children's hymn:- How many miles to Bethlehem? Not very far. Shall we find the stable room Lit by a star? and so on. I suspect this is 19th century and I am quoting it off the top of my head but it must surely be derivitive. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: <NorthantsBrowns@aol.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 11:53 AM Subject: Re: [OEL] Babylon > > John > > Thanks for some very interesting comments on this well-known rhyme. > You may be interested to hear that I have recently seen reference to this in > an excellent book called Medieval Children by Nicholas Orme (Yale University > Press 2001). > > page 141 > "The best medieval record of a children's rhyme is that of 'How many miles > to Beverleyham?', or to 'to Babylon' as it became in later times, a rhyme that > was used in a game. This is another fragment of childhood culture recorded > in a Latin sermon, one written at the end of the 13C. The preacher was > referring to people who wish to be good Christians at one moment and fall away at > another..." > > Evidently the source was not actually Babylon, as everyone thinks. > Incidentally, this is an excellent, highly-readable and authoritative book > that I thoroughly recomment to all List members! > > regards > Pete Brown > Groby, Leicestershire > > > In a message dated 22/07/04 00:34:49 GMT Daylight Time, > bartonlander@free.net.nz writes: > > I gather a change of topic is in order. Here's a try: > In "The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes" by the Opies, "Can I get there > by candle-light?" was according to the Opies a common Tudor > expression:- > "How many miles to Babylon? > Three score and ten. > Can I get there by candle-light? > Yes and back again..." > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > >