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I see England, I see France

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DaSwede | 18:05 Thu 23rd Mar 2006 | Arts & Literature
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Last week I saw an old episode of Moonlighting. the name of the episode was I see England, I see France, I see Maddie's netherworld. It immediately struck me as probably being a paraphrase, so I searched for that phrase barring the netherworld-part, and got tons of hits. I gather it's a 'teasing rhyme' (if that be the term) and that the last part of it would normally be I see (name)'s underpants. But even that sounds like a paraphrase to me, as if the origin was oh I don't know - a Churchill speech or something... "I see England, I see France, united in ..." etcetera. (Just fantasizing.)


Does anyone know anything about the origin - or if the rhyme is the origin.


Thanks in advance and for now, more personal thanks sometime next week.

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I think it's just a child's rhyme, with underpants as the rhyming word; children think the word is rather naughty. 'Netherworld' suggests something vaguely similar - 'nether regions' means roughly the part of the body, front and back, covered by underpants; though netherworld itself actually means hell or the underworld. So it's quite a clever-sounding title.
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Thanks jno! Yeah you're probably right, it's probably just a child's rhyme - it's just that it sounded so compelling and so highly literary. But many nursery rhymes are fabulous. Netherworld, yes, 'Maddie' and 'David' did spend a great part of that episode buried in a graveyard with only their heads sticking up... 'The Netherlands' has an intriguing ring to it as well, don't you think. Thanks!
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Welcome, biddies, welcome, all, to Maddie Hayes's underpants, come on in, there's room for everyone! jno got there first but that's only to be expected.

In case you don't know, moonlighting was an eighties teve series about the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Not much detective work done there, though, except maybe during the first season. the intro

If I'm not in when you get here, see if you can find any clues as to Bruce Willis's phone number. It's for a client.

bruce

Just popped in to check the place, have to be very careful at our age. Yep seems ok to me! Morning kit!
je suis ici!

zut alors...water, water everywhere...<whispers> actually, it's dry & sunny at this moment.

Lovely here Kit...I used to like Bruce, I lost interest but hey ho, I can live with him for a few weeks & he's better than nothing, hehe.

now, do we have room service? tea & toast? or is it
caf� et croissants?
Now if you are all going on about paraphrasing and past participles and generic thingys, then I'll have to go to chatterbank. Oi'll give it foive!!!
Morning All It's a lovely day here at the moment but don't know how long for. I can feel Spring in the air today.
I never liked Moonlighting really Kit but Bruce looks very nice with hair.
I'm all set for going out to dinner tonight with the latest date Lol. Given my house a good clean up in case he comes back for a coffee. Well tea he doesn't drink coffee!! I've learnt that much about him. He's a bit eccentric He likes his tea bag dipped 27 times. But of cause I don't do that. Actually I thinks he's joking well I hope so! I don't half find them don't I?!!!! First I'm an Agony Aunt and then a Special Tea Masher. See you later 'gater(s) :o)
Jude, you are performing a valuable social service by keeping lonely eccentrics off the street where they would only be stared a - keep up the good work!
Am I in the netherworld ? It feels like it here in dull Norfolk where it is raining .In fact it's so dull it's more like the underworld .
Nice place you have here Kit ..is there a nice Ikea chaise I can lay on while I reread all my Just William books while scoffing chs on tst .
You do pick 'em Jude ! Have a good time though .
Keep your libby well buttoned !
....and jude wear the button- on knickers!!
Don't worry girls, me tights are up to me armpits!!!
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Phew, sorry I'm late but I've been investigating the case of Bruce Willis's missing hair - cos this is the Blue Moon Detective Agency you know and there'll be no past participles and generic thingies Neti. Actually I've been unable to sign in, tried Sports Bank which worked but I couldn't get out of their and remain signed in. You'll never guess what did work in the end - beta!
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Ding-dong, get the door will you Jude, I'm sure it's for you. Oh and Jude you know when he said he likes his tea bag dipped 27 times - that was code.
Laughed a lot at that Kit . One thing - I'll be able to wear my heels tonight as he is about 6' tall.
-- answer removed --
-- answer removed --
Bye the way I haven't been able to get into beta for ages. How do I go about it? I've no idea! :o)
Thanks Neti. Your instructions were clearer this time and
I've managed to get it into favourites! That has to be first. Have just been to check the final moments of the last thread, and loved the "vincent" show Vinny. Still not sure if I've managed to install the anti virus thing.
suspect not,as bulldog keep telling me I'm not protected.
Ah well,will keep on trying.
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Jude just exchange www for beta in the address field:

http://beta.theanswerbank.co.uk

...and you're there. (But why anyone would want to go there unless they have to...)

Listen up biddies, we've got another case on our hands: A missing carpet cleaner. I sent Vinny an email last night with this link but I see he's been looking for us this morning at another one of my agencies (another old thread). So I forwarded last night's email to him again and that copy hasn't bounced back at me either, but perhaps we ought to rather be safe than sorry: Could you - anyone - send him a PM through the AnswerBank profile? I don't even know what that is, as I never did get it to work, but I gather that some of you have.
nah, let's play hard to get Kit....hehe

Have a good time Jude
tea bag dipped how many times? I think he'll be happy with once when he sees those killers

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