Crying wolf?

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 82001

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shirley" <shirley2allie at h...> wrote:
> <<much snippage>>
> 
> >> Kneasy:     
> > 6. Sirius, Peter, Ron, Harry, Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all depart via
> >     the tunnel under the Whomping Willow to the Shack.
>  
> 
> 
> stupid question from Shirley:
> *Who* is Uncle Tom Cobbleigh, or is this just another way of 
> saying 'everybody and their dog' (meaning, lots of people, and I 
> don't want to list them all right now, thanks)?
> 
> Shirley, who sort of stumbled over that part of your narrative, but 
> was quite engrossed, nonetheless

It's a fairly common  phrase in the UK.
It comes from the chorus  of a traditional song - Widdecombe  Fair;
there's a whole  list of folk on their way there - Jan Stewart, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy,  etc. and it  ends "old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh  and all".
It's used to signify a motley crowd almost too  numerous to identify.
Sorry if I caused confusion.

Kneasy