Lyr Req: Maidrín Rua / Little Red Fox (Irish)

Subject: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish song
From: Judy Goddard
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 05:20 PM

I once had the lyrics to a children's song called, Moderena Rue (or somithing like it) abaout a naughty fox.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish song
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 05:29 PM

An maidrin rua - it means The Fox in Irish.

The lyrics I remember go something like

"Good morrow fox, good morrow sir, and what is that you're eating?
It's a fine fat hen that I stole from you..."


That's all I remmeber - haven't hear it in many years. Is that the one?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish so
From: Judy Goddard
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 05:32 PM

Thanx Ruth! That's the one. But in my verison it was a little girl, not a man.

Does anyone else know where I might fint the rest of the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish so
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 06:27 PM

It's on the Peg and Bobby Clancy album (vinyl - I don't know whether it has made it to CD), Traditional Songs Of Ireland, as Maderine Rue (Little Red Fox), as translated into English by Peg. The liner notes say the song "is also considered to be symbolic of the period when Ireland had to be referred to in songs by various other names. In this song it is the case of England being the 'Fox,' devouring Ireland the 'Goose.'"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish song
From: GUEST,Learaí na Láibe
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 06:53 PM

"Maidrín Rua" means "little Fox" in Irish.

Here are links to two different versions.

http://www.lyricsdownload.com/sean-o-se-an-madirin-rua-lyrics.html

http://www.irishpage.com/songs/Redfox.htm


They just appear to me to be light-hearted lyrics about a fox. I doubt if there's a hidden political meaning.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish so
From: Judy Goddard
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 07:35 PM

Thanx to you all. You have helped me immeasurably.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish song
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 05:27 AM

My mother used to sing this. I hope no one will be offended if I put down, here, that which I remember from her singing, in phonetics :

Mawdyereen Roo, Roo, Roo
Mawdyereen Roo in the bushes.
Mawdyereen Roo, Roo, Roo
And his ears peeping up like the rushes.

I was told by Mother that "Mawdyereen Roo" is, literally, "The Little Red Dog".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Moderena Rue, an irish so
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 06:57 AM

You should hear Jimmy Crowley sing it! More threads here:

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=53737&messages=1

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=8906#56128