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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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'Green grow the rushes O'
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The refrain of the Dilly Song, an ancient and still very popular folk song, which repeats (usually accelerando) a sequence of numerical items from 'one is one and all alone' up to 'twelve for the twelve apostles'. One God, four gospel makers, ten Commandments and twelve apostles are recognizable from Christian sources. Others, such as the 'two lily-white boys, clothed all in green O', may suggest more mysterious pagan origins. But ingenious Christian explanations have been found for all of them: the lily-white boys are said to be Jesus and John the Baptist, the three rivals the persons of the Trinity, and so on.
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