ID: 1188 Date: 1930s - 1990s Title: The night was dark and stormy Gender: Male and Female Classification: Fun Rhyme: The night was dark and stormy, The cart was full to the brim, The night man fell in backwards, And found he could not swim. (Christchurch, 1930s) -- The night was dark and stormy, The night man was within, I heard a bash, And a helluva crash, Good God, he's fallen in! (Blenheim, 1950s) -- The night was dark and stormy, The billy goat was blind. He backed into a barbed wire fence. And scratched his never you mind. (NZ, 1963 - autograph) -- The night was dark and stormy , The dunny light was dim, I heard a crash, And then a splash, My God, she's fallen in! (Christchurch, 1980s) -- The night was dark and stormy, The billy goat was blind. He backed into a barbed wire fence. And scratched his never you mind. Refrain: We're off, we're off, we're off in a motorcar.. Fifty bobbies are after us And we don't know where we are. Fatty passed the ball to Skinny, Skinny passed it back, Where was the goalie when the ball was in the net? Halfway up the goalpost, with his trousers round his neck. Refrain: We're off.. The dog was on the railway, The driver rang the bell, The dog didn't hear the engine, So now he's on his way to Hal..ifax Refrain: We're off.. (Christchurch, 1990) -- Background Info: Based on a verse from the Texas square dance song, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More". (Schwartz, 1992:177) == Turner, 1978:131 records: The night was dark and stormy, The toilet light was dim, I heard a splash and then a crash - My God, he's fallen in. (Melbourne, 1961-1973) == Location: Various NZ Group size: 4 Incidence: 5