Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)

Subject: Reynard the Fox
From: Maelgwyn
Date: 08 Aug 98 - 09:32 PM

Does anyone have the lyrics to June Tabor's version of 'Reynard the Fox'?

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: BSeed
Date: 09 Aug 98 - 04:10 AM

Not the same thing, but a friend of mine sings a version of "The Fox"--"The fox went out on a chilly night..." that he found, I think, in a Canadian primer, that had much more colorful language than the familiar version. I've been trying to convince him to add the song to our songbook, but he never comes through, whether out of forgetfulness or out of a desire to keep the song as his own, I don't know. Does anyone know such a version of the song? --seed

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Aug 98 - 05:59 AM

Click here and see if this might be the version you're looking for. Or, maybe this. Otherwise, it could be this one. I did a forum search under "Reynard," and these three threads seemed to be closest to what you're seeking. good luck. You might also want to check the Digital Tradtion lyrics database under "Reynard" and "fox."
I don't think the June Tabor version has been posted here. She sings too darn fast for me - all I can make out is a few phrases.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: REYNARD THE FOX
From: Maelgwyn
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 03:45 PM

I think I figured out most of the lyrics to this except for the end. If anyone could help me out with the last verse that would be great. Here's what I've got so far in case anyone's interested. There are a few words here and there that I'm not sure about, so if anyone sees any mistakes please correct me.

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 ash pit and copse I did lie
And I lived an extraordinary rate
When cracking the bones in young lambs' tails,
The farmers they all did me hate.

Oh former? lords, 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 land they did run me
And I gave 'em a very good race
When I entered the woods I did rest,
Then the hounds they ran forward and bayed.

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 all down into pieces
Which caused the glad huntsmen to hollow.

Oh pardon, dear huntsmen, ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
And now that poor Reynard is dead,
We'll go to the tavern? and dine
And we'll dip his poor foot in a bowl of herbs?
And drink of his health in good wine.

Well, that's that. If anyone could fill in those question marks that would be wonderful. Thanks :)

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 07:33 PM

Is fox meat any good to eat? Can't say that I'd like to eat it, but I really do wonder if people do eat fox.
Maelgwyn, you sure got a lot more out of the June Tabor recording than I did. I really had trouble understanding her.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: Barry Finn
Date: 23 Aug 98 - 11:25 PM

I believe that's the same version as Martain Carthy's, one of the few sung from the view of the first person. Barry

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Aug 98 - 01:45 PM

Fox hunting was described by Oscar Wilde as "The unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible.

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 05:53 AM

I've put my attempt at transcribing what Martin Carthy sings here -- unfortunately with a few ?? It goes without saying that I would be very grateful for any assistance. Garry

Subject: Lyr Add: REYNARD THE FOX
From: GUEST,Walrus
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:23 PM

Maelgwyn,

The version I remember (or partly remember) is slightly different:

A great many gentlemen take great delight
In hunting bold Reynard the Fox,
For the very best food he does eat of the night
And lives upon fat geese and ducks.
In Ashendon Copse I did dwell
And I lived an extraordinary rate,
A-cracking the bones in young lambs down.
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 ran forward and bayed.

All through the wild woods they gave chase and gave ?
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 ? fields they did chase 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 ???
But I leave many brothers and sisters behind,
Who love little else better than I.
And now that bold Reynard is dead,
We'll go to the Dolphin and dine.
We'll dip his fore-foot in a bumper
And drink up his health in good wine.

Again, I've had to leave some blanks and I've swiped one part from you ("fat geese and ducks" sounds more likely than "puppies and ducks").

I don't know if the spacing will come out right this time.

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: GUEST,Walrus
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:33 PM

Why is it that when I use a single stroke, the line just seems to run on, but when I use a double stroke I get double spacing?

I put it down to Sod's Law of Natural Cussedness.

Walrus.

Subject: RE: Reynard the Fox
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 05:40 PM

You need to be using html for line-breaks.  Have a look at Joe Offer's FAQ thread,  here, for the info.

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Add: REYNARD THE FOX (from Martin Carthy)
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 06:44 PM

This is Martin Carthy's version, taken from his book, 'Martin Carthy: A Guitar in Folk Music'

Renyard The Fox

Most gentlemen take great delight
In hunting bold Reynard the Fox
'Twas by Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
Where I lived upon fat geese and ducks
'Twas by Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
Not thinking how soon I should die
I was chased by a pack of fresh hounds
That caused me from my country to fly

'Twas by Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
And I lived at a plentiful rate
Young lambs I plucked on their bones
And the farmers 'gan for me to hate
Lord Jones for the king's hounds did send
Tommy Bosun he swore I should die
But I left three brothers behind me
That loves young lambs far better than I

It's forty long miles I rambled
And I done it in three hours space
It made my old coat stand on end
As the hounds followed on me apace
For it's often times I've been pursue-ed
By hounds that would run like a cow
But in the whole course of my lifetime
Never had such a breathing till now

It was by Simon Sturt's I did ramble
Where the game-keeper shot through my thigh
Oh pardon, dear huntsmen and hounds
But from this fatal wound I must die
My old coat it lay close to my back
To hear how the hounds they did hollo
My sweat dropped like dew in the morning
For to hear how the huntsmen did follow

It was in Stony Fields where they killed me
Oh the blood-thirsty hounds how they follow
They tore my old jacket to pieces
Good Lord how the huntsmen did hollo!
And now that bold Reynard is ended
To the tavern they'll go down to dine
They'll dip my fore-paw in a bumper
And they'll drink their lord's health in good wine
^^
Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: GUEST,Meghan Brunner
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 04:46 AM

The version I have off of my _Heartwell Horn_ CD by Pint and Dale has the last bit, starting with the question marks in Maelgwyn's post, thus:

Oh pardon, dear huntsmen, for spoiling your game
But the hounds, they have caused me to die
You farmers at home, breathe a sigh of relief
For your flocks are all safe for a time

And now that bold Reynard is dead
You'll all go to the Dolphin to dine
And dip my fore-paw in a bumper
And drink the King's health in good wine

Oh, you farmers at home, rest easy tonight
For my turn at night hunting's gone by
But I've left little brothers of mine to remain
Who love young lamb far better than I

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: nutty
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 04:54 AM

This is the version in the Bodleian Library .........

Printer:
          Armstrong, W. (Liverpool)
Date:
          between 1820 and 1824


Sly Reynard the Fox

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 05:25 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lADsPWsoR4, with altered wordshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lADsPWsoR4

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 05:51 PM

Either Martyn Wyndham-Read or Cyril Tawney sings a cracking song about a fox. It starts:

My name it is Bold Reynauld
I was born near Bonfire Hill
But that was many years ago
But I remember still ...

Any help?
Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 03 Jun 11 - 01:02 AM

For the one sung by Wyndham-Read, with Bonfire Hill, see this message:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5262#30742

Web-searching on the second line (which is distinctive yet less prone to mutation) yields several other copies of the lyrics.

Particularly, see this page, which gives liner notes to a Gordon Bok recording:
http://www.timberheadmusic.com/disc/OtherEyesintro.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reynard the Fox (from June Tabor)
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Jun 11 - 11:20 AM

the bonfire hill one is called bold reynolds and is a contemporary song written by dave toye.