The Fox went out one winter night,
And prayed the moon to give him light,
For he'd many a mile to go that night,
Before he reached his den, O!
Den, O! Den, O!
For he'd many a mile to go that night,
For he'd many a mile to go that night,
Before he reached his den, O!
At last he came to a farmer's yard,
Where the ducks and the geese were all afear'd
"The best of you all shall grease my beard,
Before I leave the Town O!
Town O! Town O!
The best of you all &c.
He took the grey goose by the neck,
He laid a duck across his back,
And heeded not thier quack! quack! quack!
The legs of all dangling down, O!
Down, O!, Down O!
And heeded not &c.
Then old mother Slipper Slopper jump'd out of bed
And out of the window she pop't her head,
Crying "Oh! John, John! the grey goose is dead,
And the fox is over the down, O!"
Down, O!, Down O!
Crying "O John, John &c.
Then John got up to the top o' the hill,
And blew this horn both loud and shrill,
"Blow on" said Reynard, "your music still,
Whilst I trot home to my den, O",
Den, O!, Den, O!,
"Blow on" said Reynard &c.
At last he came to his cosy den,
Where sat his young ones, nine or ten,
Quoth they, "Daddy, you must go there again,
For sure, 'tis a lcuk town, O!"
Town, O! Town, O!
Quoth they, "Daddy &c.
The fox and wife without any strife,
They cut up the goose without fork or knife,
And said 'twas the best they had eat in thier life,
And the young ones pick'd the bones, O!
Bones, O!, Bones, O!
And said 'twas the best &c.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Songs Of The West, S Baring-Gould
Notes:
The main database entry for the Fox is "Daddy Fox, Old" (see related songs below).
This example from Songs From The West gives a fuller tale and has 3 tunes noted.
According to the notes, the first tune was noted from James Parsons. Baring-Gould also notes that the song is known elsewhere (outside the West of England) but not to this tune. The other 2 tunes are ones that are "airs to which the song were known in other parts of England".
ABC and png graphics are availible for all 3 examples but only the first tune can be played from this site as a MIDI.
Roud: 131 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:
Related Songs: Daddy Fox, old (thematic)