A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/The Fox
V. THE FOX
The Fox went out one moonshiny night
And prayed for the moon to give him good light,
For he'd many a mile to go that night
Before he came to his den, O!
Chorus—Den, O! Den, O!
For he'd many a mile to go that night
Before he came to his den, O!
At last he came to a large farmyard,
Where the ducks and the geese cackled, all afeared.
'The best of all shall grease my beard
Before I get to my den, O!'
Chorus—Den, O! etc.
He took the grey goose all up by the neck,
He laid a duck also across his back,
And never regarded their quack, quack, quack,
With the legs of him dangling down, O!
Chorus—Down, O! etc.
Old mother Snipper Snapper jumped out of bed,
And opening the casement popped out her old head,
Crying 'John! O John! the grey goose is dead,
And the Fox is over the down, O!'
Chorus—Down, O! etc.
Then John got up to the top of the hill,
And he blew his horn both lusty and shrill,
'Blow on,' said the Fox, 'sweet music still!
I wish me home in my den, O!'
Chorus—Den, O! etc.
At last he came to his cosy den,
Where gathered his young ones, nine and ten,
Quoth they, 'Daddy, you must go there again,
For sure 'tis a lucky town, O!'
Chorus—Town, O! etc.
The Fox and his wife without any strife,
They cut up the goose without fork and knife,
And said 'twas the best they'd ate in their life,
And the young ones picked the bones, O!
Chorus—Bones, O! etc.