Sandman reminded me of the existing literature on whistles.
Sandman was trying to recall a poem by Charles Murray that I half-remembered too: it’s called “The Whistle”, and it’s at http://www.angelfire.com/sk2/scotland/PmWhistle.html
And there’s Ben Franklin’s essay of the same title, too, of course, at http://www.bartleby.com/109/2.html
any others?
b
Oh my God! THANK YOU Brianholton for that link. I have known that poem since I was a laddie and after a call to my father I now know why – My surname is Murray (actually, I knew that before I made the call 
) and my grandparents were from Alford in Aberdeenshire and later moved to Banchory, and I’m actually related to Charles Murray on my father’s side.
I still make rowan sucker whistles when I go back to visit family in Scotland – you definitely would NOT want to hear them 
but it gives me great pleasure to see my nephews’ and nieces’ faces when “magic Uncle Sandy” makes a whistle out of a stick.
Well you asked for it. This one is better read aloud than scanned on the page and even then you have to mumble over several words.
I bought a wooden whistle but it wouldn’ whistle,
I bought a steel whistle but it steel wouldn’ whistle,
I bought a tin whistle and know I tin whistle.
I have no idea if anyone owns up to this little gem. I certainly don’t.
I have been tempted to post that little ditty on various threads many times before but I always managed to resist the temptation.
Don’t know why though,it is funny!
I cannot remember where I first heard it but it was a long time ago.
Slan,
D.
hi Sandy
my grandfather always carried in his wallet a clipping with Murray’s poem, though he knew it by heart, and so, when I was teenager, did I. He’d make use rowan whistles, too, which kind of led me to the re****er, and, in time my destiny…
I’m from the Central Borders - Selkirk & Gala, by the way, though my mother lived in Aberdeen for nearhand twenty years.
yours aye
brian