On Wed, 12 May 2004 21:48:06 +0200, JennyC wrote:

"Brian" wrote in message
...
This was requested two or three weeks ago and I have found it in the Oxford
Dict.of Nursery Rhymes.
To be told, with the child, to a Ladybird on the back of their hand and
blown off with a puff when finished.

"Ladybird Ladybird fly away home.
Your house is on fire and your children all gone.
All except one and that's Little Ann, and she has crept under the warming
pan".

I don't know the origin of the rhyme. Young children do enjoy it and reminds
them that ladybirds are harmless.
Best Wishes Brian. 'flayb' to respond.

http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/animal/animall.htm has an interesting explanation.

But the verse seems to be rather widespread
(http://www.ditl.info/art/definition.php?term=521):
A fascinating and still somewhat mysterious feature of nursery rhymes is their
international diffusion. Like folktales and folksongs, many rhymes in English
have parallels in other European languages, either due to common origin or to
borrowing. Among the many examples that could be cited is the rhyme that
children use as a warning to ladybirds: «Ladybird, ladybird/ Fly away home/ Your
house is on fire/ And your children all gone...». Similar incantations have been
found in France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden.

And http://biodiversity.clacksweb.org.uk/downloads/042.pdf has the following
snippet:
This is an odd nursery rhyme – but actually dates back to when hop vines,
covered
with aphids and ladybirds, were burnt at harvest time. To escape the flames, the
ladybirds had to fly away to safety.

Jenny

The explanation of the name referring to Mary (the bettle of Our Lady Mary)
seem to make sense, as they're called "Marienkäfer" (Mary's beetle) in
German.
--
Tim C.