Origins of Baa Baa Black Sheep

I'm sure we're all familiar with this nursery rhyme. I only think it's appropriate to at least mention it at least once in a knitting or crochet blog, right? Just for kicks. Just for the sake of learning some obscure, random fact ~ in case it ever comes up in conversation. Because you know it will one day, if not on its own, then by your own incantation.

from: wikipedia (the greatest online resource ever!) Baa Baa Black Sheep lyrics:

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for the master,
One for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

An occasionally used second verse is:
Thank you said the master,
Thank you said the dame,
Thank you said the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

Another rarely used verse is:
One to mend the jerseys,
One to mend the socks,
And one to meand the holes
In the little girl's frocks.

Well, I never knew that last verse, but now it's my favourite. :)

And my favourite snippit of info from that wikipedia site for the rhyme, which I didn't know but think is a riot:

"Parodies
In 2005, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America released two public service announcements, each depicting a young child singing a parody of a nursery rhyme. One, a parody of "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep", referred to MDMA dealers with lyrics like this:

Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any E?
Yes sir, yes sir, first hit's free.

This and the "A, B, C, D, PCP" commercial are targeted at parents, explaining that children may know more about drugs than their parents think they know. Critics fear that these commercials might cause the children to learn the parodies before they learn the more traditional versions."

lol. Live and learn.