I have a article printed about 40 years ago, it states that:
This song dates back at least sixty years and there are many versions, although with these old ballads no one can say positively which was the absolute original. Readers will note that the refain in the first stanaza is repeated in similar fashion in each of the other staznas. (Here is the version I have)
^^
A fox went out in a hungry plight,
and begged of the moon to hive him light,
For he'd many a mile to travel that night,
Ere he could reach his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh;
Fore he'd many a mile to travel that night,
Ere he could reach his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh:

At length he came to a farmer's yard
Where the ducks and geese declared it hard
That their nerves should be shaken and their rest be marred
By a visit from Mister Fox-oh, fox-oh, Fox-oh
That their nerves should be shaken and their rest be marred
By a visit from Mister Fox-oh, fox-oh, fox-oh.

He took the black duck by the sleeve;
Quoth he, "My dear sir, by your leave.
I'll take you away without reprieve,
And carry you home to my den-oh, den-oh, den-oh
I'll take you away without reprieve,
And carry you home to my den-oh, den-oh, den-oh.

He clutched him sharply by the neck,
And flung him right across his back;
The frightened ducks cried, "Quack,quack,quack,
The fox is off to his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh,
The frightened ducks cried, "Quack,quack,quack
The fox is offf to his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh.

Old Mother Slipper-slopper jumped out of bed,
And out of the window she popped her head:
"John, John, John, the black duck's gone,
And the fox is off to his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh
"John, John, John, the black duck's gone,
And the fox is off to his den-oh, den-oh, den-oh.

The farmer ran to the top of the hill,
And blew a blast both loud and shrill.
Quoth the fox, "Tis wondrous music;
Still I'd rather be in my den-oh, den-oh, den-oh,
Quoth the fox, "Tis wondrous music;
Still I'd rather be in my; den-oh, den-oh, den-oh

At last the fox got home to his den,
To his dear littles foxes, eight,nine,ten,
Said he, "We're in luck, here's a good fat duck,
With his legs hanging, dangling, down-oh, down-oh, down-oh,
Said he, "We're in luck, here's a good fat duck,
With his legs handing, dangling, down-oh, down-oh, down-oh.

He sat down to dinner with his hungry wife,
They did very well without fork or knife;
They ne're ate a better duck in all their life,
And the little ones picked the bones-oh, bones-oh, bones-oh,
They ne're ate a better duck in all their life,
And the little one picked the bones-oh, bones-oh, bones-oh.

Hope this helps.