From FinnegansWiki
- The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862-1863 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. In the style of Victorian-era novels, The Water-Babies is a didactic moral fable. The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he dies and is transformed into a "water baby", as he is told by a caddis fly — an insect that sheds its skin — and begins his moral education. The story is largely concerned with Christian redemption, though it also suggests that England treats its poor badly, and questions enforced child labor. Tom embarks on a series of adventures and lessons, and enjoys the community of other water babies once he proves himself a moral creature. The major spiritual leaders in his new world are the fairies Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, and Mother Carey. Weekly, Tom is allowed the company of Ellie, who had fallen into the river after he did, but who was not subjected to re-education as a water baby herself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Water-Babies%2C_A_Fairy_Tale_for_a_Land_Baby
- 'Waterbaby' also suggests that HCE is like a foetus in the womb (of sleep) - awaiting his resurrection through birth (and waking).
