Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 13:50:59 -0400

From: Bob Lancaster SLANCASTER[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CENTER.COLGATE.EDU

Subject: Aunt Rhody



Are any of you familiar with the variant line "Go tell Aunt Nancy" in the

"Old Gray Goose" song? If so, have you detected evidence that this variant

may be related to Anansi? If so, regionality is likely. Or other variants?

Song books have "Aunt Rhody.

I've sung this as Nancy as long as I can remember. My wife remebers it when

she was a child. We both grew up in Delaware, so the regional "Anansi"

looks pretty doubtful. Re the sonbooks, John and Alan Lomax "Folk Song USA"

has Nancy.

Bo b Lancaster

SUNY - English emeritus

Hamilton, NY src6