Mandrakes and The hand of glory

[jdr0918]

No: HPFGUIDX 96162

<<<In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "earendil_fr" 
wrote: ..."Poisonous plant with emetic and narcotic properties, with 
root formerly thought to resemble human form and to shriek when 
plucked up from the ground."
Now does that description ring a bell? Human form, shrieking when 
plucked up from the ground? The mandrake roots in CoS are described 
as looking like ugly babies, and *do* shriek...>>>

The Sergeant Majorette says

"Go and catch a falling star
Get with child a mandrake root
Tell me where all past years are
Or who cleft the devil's foot..."

Our Mr. Bannister can probably tell us who wrote this poem. I can 
only remember the discomfort of the nun who had brought this 
distinguished guest lecturer to our English class as he explained the 
metaphor to forty Catholic schoolgirls, after singing it to us in a 
deep, lush baritone voice.

--JDR