[43] De Gubernatis, _Zoological Mythology_, 1872, II, p. 209. In Greece the same idea was embodied in the myth of Ikaros, the son of Dædalus, who flew too near the sun with the wings he had made for himself, and, falling into the sea, was drowned. Already the ancient Greeks were puzzled by this myth, which found its reasonable explanation in describing Ikaros as the inventor of sails. He was the first to attach sails to a boat, and sailing westwards, he was borne out to sea and perished. Among ourselves the ladybird is always addressed in connection with its power of flight. It is mostly told to return to its house or home, which is in danger of being destroyed by fire, and warned of the ruin threatening its children if it fails to fly. But some rhymes address it on matters of divination, and one urges it to bring down blessings from heaven. The rhyme addressed to the ladybird first appears in the nursery collection of 1744, where it stands as follows:-- 1. Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children will burn. Many variations of the rhyme are current in different parts of the country, which may be tabulated as follows:-- 2. Lady cow, lady cow, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children all roam. (1892, p. 326.) 3. Ladycow, Ladycow, fly and be gone, Your house is on fire, and your children at home. (Hallamshire, 1892, p. 326.) 4. Gowdenbug, gowdenbug, fly away home, Yahr house is bahnt dun, and your children all gone. (Suffolk, _N. & Q._, IV., 55.) 5. Ladybird, ladybird, eigh thy way home, Thy house is on fire, thy children all roam, Except little Nan, who sits in her pan Weaving gold laces as fast as she can. (Lancashire, 1892, p. 326.) 6. Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children at home. They're all burnt but one, and that's little Ann, And she has crept under the warming pan. (Rusher's Series.) 7. Ladycow, ladycow, fly thy way home, Thy house is on fire, thy children all gone; All but one, that ligs under a stone, Ply thee home, ladycow, ere it be gone. (1842, p. 204.) 8. Ladycow, Ladycow, fly away home, Thy house is on fire, thy children all gone; All but one, and he is Tum, And he lies under the grindelstone. (Shropshire, 1892, p. 327.) 9. Dowdy cow, dowdy cow, ride away hame, Thy house is burnt, and thy bairns are ta'en; And if thou means to save thy bairns, Take thy wings and fly away. (N. Riding, Yorks., 1892, p. 327.) 10. Lady, lady landers, fly away to Flanders. (Chambers, 1842, p. 43.) 11. Fly, ladybird, fly! North, south, east, or west, Fly to the pretty girl that I love best. (1849, p. 5.)