Gum Shellac

DESCRIPTION: Singer cites real and fictitious accomplishments of tinkers with gum shellac: making Pharaoh's coffins; building Birmingham; fighting the Romans, Spanish, Danes, Black and Tans, and Cromwell; making cannons in Hungary; teaching Nero to play.
AUTHOR: "Pops" Johnny Connors (source: Jim Carroll's notes to IRTravellers01)
EARLIEST DATE: 1985 (IRTravellers01)
KEYWORDS: humorous political talltale tinker
FOUND IN: Ireland
Roud #2508
RECORDINGS:
"Pops" Johnny Connors, "Gum Shellac" (on IRTravellers01)
NOTES [65 words]: Jim Carroll's notes to IRTravellers01: "Gum shellac is a paste formed by chewing bread, a technique used by unscrupulous tinsmiths to supposedly repair leaks in pots and pans. When polished, it gives the appearance of a proper repair but, if the vessel is filled with water, the paste quickly disintegrates, giving the perpetrator of the quick just enough time to escape with his payment." - BS
File: RcGumShe

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