Classic Poem

A great many gentlemen take great delight
In hunting bold Reynard the fox.
At Ashbittle copse I did lay,
An extraordinary rate I did live
In picking the bones of the fat geese and ducks
Till the farmers they all did me hate.

Oh for the lord's hounds did descend,
The huntsman swore I should die.
I left little brother behind,
They love little lambs better than I.

Oh through the lord's park they did run me,
The gamekeeper shot at my thigh.
I beg your pardon, huntsman and hounds,
From this bloody wound I must die.

I made away back to my home,
The place that I always did use,
And when I got back to my home
The holes were all stopped up close.

I been run by day many times,
Dogs that could run like a cow,
But never in all my whole time
I've not stopped a breath before now.

All through the wild woods they did run me,
Those bloodthirsty dogs did me follow,
And made my old coat stand on end
When I heard the loud huntsman to holloa.

All down stony land they did run me,
Those bloodthirsty dogs did me follow,
They tore my old coat all in pieces
Which made the loud huntsman to holloa.

So now the old Reynard he's dead,
We'll go to the Dolphin and dine,
We'll dip his forefoot in a bumper
And drink my lord's health in good wine.