A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/The Hunting of the Hare

by Sabine Baring-Gould

XXXVII. THE HUNTING OF THE HARE

 

I hunted my Merry all into the hay,
The Hare was before and the hounds 'ware away!'
With my Hickerly Tout, ticklesome Trout,
Hipperly, tipperly, eversheen, nipperly,
Up the middle, vandigo-van.
'Twas up the hill, down the form,
Here a step, there a turn,
Turn and sing merrily,
Hunt hounds, away!

I hunted my Merry all into the barley,
And there the poor puss was pursued old Snarley.
With my Hickerly Tout, etc.

I hunted my Merry all into the wheat,
And there the sly puss did attempt us to cheat.
With my Hickerly Tout, etc.

I hunted my Merry all into the rye,
And there the poor hare was constrained to die.
With my Hickerly Tout, etc.

I hunted my Merry all into the oats
And there I cut off both his paw and his scutt,
With my Hickerly Tout, etc.