Comin’ Thro’ the Rye
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Comin’ Thro’ the Rye, is the song/poem which is referenced in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. In the novel Holden Caulfield heard a child singing “If a body catch a body coming through the Rye.” The child had a pretty little voice and it made Holden feel better and not so depressed. In fact the song translates as ‘If a body meet a body’ but Holden did not know that at the time. Later when Phoebe, his little sister asked him what he would like to be, he answered that he wanted to be the Catcher in the Rye.
Holden has a vision of thousands of small children playing in a field of rye. A cliff borders the field. In their abandon, the innocent children symbolically run too close to the edge and may fall. Holden would be there to catch them. He would be the catcher in the rye.
Listen to Jason Alexander read the extract.
Comin Thro’ The Rye
O, Jenny’s a’ weet, poor body,
Jenny’s seldom dry:
She draigl’t a’ her petticoatie,
Comin thro’ the rye!
Comin thro’ the rye, poor body,
Comin thro’ the rye,
She draigl’t a’ her petticoatie,
Comin thro’ the rye!
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro’ the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro’ the glen,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need the warl’ ken?
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro’ the grain;
Gin a body kiss a body,
The thing’s a body’s ain.
Robert Burns
See a translation into Standard English here.
