Reynard the Fox

A good many gentlemen take great delight
In hunting poor Reynard the Fox
For the very best food he does eat in the night
And lives upon fat geese and ducks
In Ashendon Copse I did lie
And I lived an extraordinary rate
A-cracking the bones in young lambs' tails
The farmers they all did me hate

Oh, for my Lord's horses and hounds they did send
And the huntsmen, they swore I must die
Which made all the hair on my coat stand on end
And caused me from my young ones to fly
All down Stony Lane they did run me
And I gave 'em a very good race
When I entered the woods I did rest then
The hounds they run forward and bays

All through the wild woods they gave chase and gave game
And the gameskeeper saw me go by
He chased me out onto the wide-open plain
It was then that he fired at my thigh
All on stony fields they did kill me
And bloodthirsty dogs did me follow
They tore me old coat all in pieces
Which caused the glad huntsmen to hollow

Oh, pardon, dear huntsmen, for I've spoiled your game
And the keeper has caused me to die
But I leave little brothers of mine to remain
That love little else better than I
And now that bold Reynard is dead
We'll go to the Dolphin and dine
Now we'll dip his fore-foot in a bumper
And drink up his health in good wine