Renard

Oh where, oh where, oh where, oh where is he?
Where is he, oh, bring him to me

We'll smash his ribs in for him
With our sharp spurs, gore him
Beat him black and blue, then stick your knife into him too

Oh where, oh where, oh where, oh where is he?
Where is he, oh, bring him to me
Come on, come on, don't wait, you'll be too late
Oh where, oh where, oh where, oh where is he?
Where is he? Now the knife is ready here
The blade already whetted and a rope is knotted
He'll get such a banging, then there'll be a hanging

Oh where, oh where, oh where, oh where is he?
For the knife is ready and waiting
And the rope is oscillating
He'll get such a banging, banging
Followed by a hanging, hanging

Here am I, up on high
On the house, keeping an eye
Uttering my cry

Hail, my son, you crimson-crested one
Come down from off your lofty perch up there
Your sins confess
I have come from dusty deserts far away
Not a drop to drink nor food for many a day

Gosh, it's old Mother Fox

I can't tell you what I've suffered
Pain and misery, no end
But now, my son, my dearest boy
I've come to give you absolution

Oh, dearest fox, dear Mother Fox
Don't think you can humbug me so easily
Come again another day now, go away

Oh, my son, listen to me
Though you sit up there, oh, high, so near the sky
Yet you're a sinner
I'll tell you why, so take heed, my son
And hear what you've done
You and all your kind have far too many wives
Some of you, I'm told, have ten or more
Others even have a score
Twenty wives are cause for trouble

How much more then if their numbers double
Everywhere you go, you're always fighting
Squabbling over all your wives
Just as if they were your sweethearts
Come, my son and I will hear your confession
So that you may thus be spared
The risk of dying in sin.

Help, oh help, oh help, oh help
He's got me by the tail
He's pulled me off my rail
Torn me all to bits
Won't let me go, oh
Dragging me miles away
How many miles, I can't say
Twenty, thirty or more
Surely, more than a score I should say
Br'er goat, Br'er cat, don't let him devour me
Save me, my friends, or he'll overpower me
I'm so afraid
Oh, oh, come to my aid!

Don't you want to part with it?
You know we're honest men
And so we'll pay our share, and play fair

So drop it quick
Or you will feel the stick

Mother Fox one day came to stay
And soon of everything made hay
Then the old wretch began to boast
To boast of what she had done,
And what she would do, it's true
She'd a thing to smash
Every bone in your body, so she boasted

Now we see the cock out walking
Out walking

With him, go all his lady wives
Lady wives

All his dear little henny-pennies

Then came Renard, sly and leering
Quickly from a hedge appearing
What a lucky meeting
And a cruel greeting
Have a care, it's all up with you, I fear
You'll catch it now, my dear fine fellow
Please don't eat me, mother Fox

Mother Fox, spare me, I pray
Take my wives but don't take me
Oh take my wife, spare my life
No, it's your corpse I must have, and yours alone
Skin and bone and all, skin and bone
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Now the Fox has got him in her claws
Jumped the wall, with him in her jaws
Dragging him along to her lair
Behind the old pear tree
Cock-a-doo, cock-a-doo
He's screaming
But the hens don't hear
They're dreaming

Here am I up on high
On the house keeping an eye
Uttering my cry

Cock-a-doo, good master cock
With your fine scarlet crest, dressed in your best