Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FOX HUNT
From:
Date: 20 Aug 98 - 08:36 PM

This song has been sung in my family for as long as I can remember. I know the tune but I need some help with sheet music, if ANYONE knows where I could find some email me.

THE FOX HUNT

CHORUS: Come a hip, come a hip come a high
Come along the merry lane
Come a rip, tip tip
Come a rap, tap tap
Come a Oh boy and a bow wow wow
And a ruddle duddle duddle and bugle horn
A fee fi fiddle and an aye dee ay
And through the woods we'll run pretty boys
And through the woods we'll run

First I came upon a farmer
A-hoeing in his field
He said he saw poor Reynard
A-eating down his corn. CHORUS

Next I saw a boatman
A-rowing in his boat
He said he saw poor Reynard
Upon the water float. CHORUS

Last I saw a blind man
As blind as he could be
He said he saw poor Reynard
Under yonder hollow tree. CHORUS

[e-mail]

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 9-Jan-02.

Subject: RE: Looking for Reynard Sheet Music
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Aug 98 - 06:02 PM

I think the the song is on a CD by Golden Ring or by Bok-Muir-Trickett, but I don't have time to find it right now. You might look around the web site of Folk-Legacy Records or call them at 1-800-836-0901 and see if they have it in a songbook. I'll look around more later if nobody else has found it for you by the weekend.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE REINDEER SONG (Traditional Ozarks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 03:18 AM

The Reindeer Song
(an Ozark variation of "Bold Reynard")

Come all you young sportsmen who love to chase the fox,
And we’ll go chase the reindeer all through the hills and rocks.

Come-a-hoot, come-a-hoot, come-a-hollow
All around that merry stream.
Come-a-ring, ting, ting and a hip, tip, tip
And away go the rolling bow-wow dogs
And a hoodle, doodle do
And a bugle horn and a tide-dee-oh
And through the woods we run, now boys,
Through the woods we run.

I come to a blind man, blind as he could be.
He said he saw the reindeer run up a hollow tree.

I come to a terrapin, crawling through the mud.
He said he saw the reindeer washed away in the flood.

I came to a boatman, dipping out his boat.
He said he saw the reindeer run up the river float.

(repeat first verse)

Notes from "For All the Good People: A Golden Ring Reunion," Folk-Legacy Records:
In this country, "Bold Reynard" has many titles, most involving a corruption of the name "Reynard," such as "Bold Ranger," "Tom Redman," and "Bow Randers."
The song is supposed to be Randolph number 76. My copy of "Ozark Folksongs" by Vance Randolph is abridged, and doesn't have #76. Anybody got the tune or more information? Between the forum and the database, we must have a dozen different Reynard songs. Isn't that amazing?
-Joe Offer-

---

On the Golden Ring Reunion CD, this song is introduced by a song by Gail Davies titled "Grandma's Song." Here are the notes from Barton and Para:

Grandma's Song

(Gail Davies, BMI)
Vogue Music, BMI, 1980.

The Reindeer Song

(traditional)

Cathy Barton: banjo, lead vocal; Dave Para: guitar, vocal; Ed Trickett: guitar, vocal "Grandma's Song," composed by country singer, songwriter and producer Gail Davies, makes reference to a traditional English song about Reynard the Fox which her grandmother in the eastern Oklahoma Ozarks often sang to her. In this country, "Bold Reynard" has many titles, most involving a corruption of the name "Reynard," such as "Bold Ranger," "Tom Redman," and "Bow Randers." Dave and I learned this Ozark version, "The Reindeer Song," from a close family friend, Wilma Pepmiller, who learned it as a child growing up near the Ozark town of Doniphan, Missouri. I recommend listening to Gail Davies' recording of"Grandma's Song" - it opens with a recording of her grandmother singing this old song, a unique sound not heard on slick, Nashville-produced recordings these days. In a recent correspondence, Gail told me her grandmother's parents were from Ireland, and her "Fox Hunting Song" is an Irish version. Thanks, Gail! (Cathy Barton) The Reindeer Song Come all you young sportsmen who love to chase the fox, And we'll go chase the reindeer all through the hills and rocks. Come-a-hoot, come-a-hoot, come-a-hollow All around that merry stream. Come-a-ring, ting, Sing and a hip, tip, tip And away go the rolling bow-wow dogs And a hoodle, doodle do And a bugle horn and a tide-dee-oh And through the woods we run, now boys, Through the woods we run. I come to a blind man, blind as he could be. He said he saw the reindeer run up a hollow tree. I come to a terrapin, crawling through the mud. He said he saw the reindeer washed away in the flood. (not sung: I come to a boatman, dipping out his boat. He said he saw the reindeer run up the river float.) (repeat first verse)

©1992 Folk-Legacy Records, Inc. Sharon, Connecticut 06069

---

Grandma's Song / The Reindeer Song (Golden Ring): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw-Ms9nFfNw

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Fox Hunt
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:15 PM

From The Book Buyer (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons):


[Vol XI, No. 8, September, 1894, page 399:]

For a considerable time I have tried to ascertain, from many sources, from what song the following is taken. I am told it was sung in the nursery forty years ago. Music-dealers fail to give light on the subject. Can some of your readers aid me?

"There once was a bold sportsman
Who loved to hunt the fox;
He loved to chase bold Reynard
Among the hills and rocks.
With a hoot, hoot, hoot, and a holloa,
All in a merry strain:
With a ram-tam-tam and a tivy-tivy-tam,
And away to the Royal Dover.
Ri-tu-ra-lu goes the bugle horn.
Ri-fol-a-rol-a-rol-a-tidy-i-de-um:
Through the woods we roam, brave boys,
Through the woods we roam."

C. E. P.


[Vol. XI, No. 10, November, 1894, page 514:]

I know a fox-hunting song that I sometimes sing when I can get people to listen to me. I learned it of an Englishman who brought it from Cornwall fifty years ago. The words differ somewhat from those given by "C. E. P." I quote the first verse and the chorus. Words and music make the most soul-stirring chorus I ever heard. I shall he glad to furnish them to "C. E. P."

"Come all ye merry sportsmen
Who love to hunt the fox,
Who love to chase bold Reynard
Among the hills and rocks!
Come a-whoop, come a-whoop, come a-hilo,
Along the merry lane,
With a rap-tap-tap and a rip-a-tip-tip
And hurrah, boys, with a bow-wow-wow!
And a roodle-doodle-do goes the bugle horn,
Sing fee-fi-fiddle-di-i-di-aye;
And through the woods we'll run, brave boys,
And through the woods we'll run."

W. O. F.

*

I am familiar with a song that appears to be of German origin, though it is the same in substance as the English one referred to. I never have seen it in print. This is it:

"O the first who saw him was a farm maid,
A-counting out her flock;
She said she saw Beau Reynard
Among her geese and duck.

With a hoop, hoop, hoop, and a heigh O,
Along the narrow straat,
Rat, tat, tat, and a tippe, tippe tap,
With a bow, wow, wow,
Cum a hoodle, doodle, doo.
And a bugle sound,
As thro' the woods he ran, brave boys,
As through the woods he ran.

The next who saw him was a teamster
A-coming with his team;
He said he saw Beau Reynard
A-crossing of the stream.

The last who saw him was a gunner,
A-coming with his gun;
He said he saw Beau Reynard
And shot him as he run."

H. E. C.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Fox Hunt
From: GUEST,JCP
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 02:42 AM

I'll add my version. My grandmother sung it to my mother - from Indiana? Isle of Guernsey? Don't know how far back it goes.

Come all ye merry farmers who love to hunt the fox
And let's go chase Bold Reynard among the hills and rocks.

Come a hoot, come a hoot, come a hi-lo
Along the merry street
Come a rin-tin-tin and a tippy-tippy-tin
Beneath the royal bow-wow-wow
With a sing fie-yiddle-yiddle yie-de-ay
Through the fields we run, brave boys and through the fields we run.

Now the first I saw was a blind man,
As blind as he could be
He said he saw Bold Reynard run up a holler tree

Come a hoot, come a hoot, come a hi-lo
Along the merry street
Come a rin-tin-tin and a tippy-tippy-tin
Beneath the royal bow-wow-wow
With a sing fie-yiddle yiddle yie-de-ay
Through the fields we run, brave boys and through the fields we run.

Subject: ADD Version: A Fox Huntin'
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 04:36 AM

There's a cracking version (+ variant) in the Max Hunter Collection:

A Fox Huntin'

VERSE 1
Now, come all you jolly hunters
Who love to chase th fox
Who love to chase Bow Randers
Among th hill an' rocks
T' my hi-bow-bow, t' my hi-o-low
Long th merry stream
T' my riddle-diddle-dant
T' my riddle-diddle-dant
A rolling bow-wow dogs
A yank-fa-didem an' a bugle horn
A yank-fa-didem an' a diedy-o

VERSE 2
Th first one we met Was a man pedling of some combs
He said, he saw Bow Randers
A knawing of some bones
(Repeat as in first verse)

VERSE 3
The next man we met
Was a man by th name of Rea
He said, he saw Bow Randers
Run up a holler tree
(Repeat as above)

VERSE 4
The last man we met
Was a man by th name of Huff
He said, he saw Bow Randers
Dead an' half eat up
(Repeat as above)

Cat. #0323 (MFH #186) - As sung by Mr. Fred High, High, Arkansas on February 11, 1959

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Fox Hunt
From: GUEST,AlanG at work
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 05:44 AM

There's also a good version in Marrowbones a copy of which can be found in Folkinfo

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Fox Hunt
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Aug 15 - 08:37 PM

I learned a slightly different version from my father, who learned it from his mother, who learned it from her father. That would have been in the late 1800's. I don't know where or from whom my great-grandfather learned it, but he did have a German great-grandmother.

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 02:16 AM

The song is supposed to be Randolph number 76. My copy of "Ozark Folksongs" by Vance Randolph is abridged, and doesn't have this version under #76. Anybody have an early edition of Randolph? If so, and if it has the "Reindeer" version of this song, can you post it and maybe send a scan to [e-mail]?
Thanks.

-Joe-

Subject: ADD Version: Bold Ranger (from Randolph)
From: Reinhard
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 05:12 AM

Randolph 76: Bold Ranger

Version A: Sung by Mr. Ross Armstrong, Pineville, Mo., Dec. 12, 1928.

BOLD RANGER

Come all ye bold huntsmen
Who like to chase th' fox,
For I seen bold Ranger
Among th' brush and rocks.

CHORUS:
With a hoot-toot-toot sing hi-lo,
All a-mid th' merry clan,
With a ran-tan-tan sing tip-py tip-py tan,
An' a-way with a raw-hoo bow-wow-wow,
An’ a bugle song, an' a hoo-dle doo-dle doo,
An' away to th’ woods we'll run, my boys,
An' away to th' woods we'll run.

Next they come to a lady
A-combin’ out her locks,
She said she seen bold Ranger
Among the geese an’ flocks.

An’ next they come to a blind man,
As blind as he could be,
He said he seen bold Ranger
Climb up a holler tree.

An’ next they come to a ’possum,*
An’ he was coal black,
He said he seen bold Ranger
Upon a huntsman’s back.

*parson?

Version B: Contributed by Mrs. Sylvia Hill, Thayer, Mo., July 25, 1940.

The first we met was a blind man,
As blind as he could be,
He said he saw Old Reynard
As he came round the tree.

Chorus:
Oh a hip tip to and a hallow
Along the merry strand,
Oh ran dan dan and a hip tip to
Away with a raw and a bow wow wow,
Oh a riddle riddle you and a bugle's horn,
Through the woods we’ll run,
Through the woods we’ll run.

The next we met was a farmer
A-plowing of his ground,
He said he saw Old Reynard
As he went round and round.

The next we met was a padro
And he was coal black,
He said he saw Old Reynard
Upon a huntsman’s back.

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jun 20 - 09:44 PM

Reinhard and I both have the same 1980 edition of Randolph, and Reinhard has posted both versions from this edition. He generously sent me a PDF scan of the song, so I didn't have to break the binding of my fragile book to scan it. I'm wondering if the first edition of Randolph has any other versions, because there were many songs omitted from the 1980 reissue. The first version is very similar to the Reindeer song sung by Cathy Para on the Golden Ring album, so maybe there isn't an actual "Reindeer" version in Randolph.

Here are Randolph's notes for Song #76 in Ozark Folksongs,, song titled "BOLD RANGER."

76
BOLD RANGER
For English texts of this song see Baring-Gould (A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes, 1907, p. 7) and Williams (Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, 1923, p. 67). Barry (JA FL 27, 1914, p. 71) has variants from Massachusetts and Kansas, while Cox (Folk-Songs of the South, 1925, p. 476) found a good one in West Virginia, and points out that "Ranger" is a corruption of "Reynard." Eleanor Risley (The Road to Wildcat, 1930, p. 250) heard a similar chorus in Alabama. Sharp (English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1932, Il, p. 303) calls his Virginia variant "The Three Huntsmen," and refers to "poor Reno" instead of "bold Ranger." Scarborough (A Song Catcher in Southern Mountains, 1937, pp. 7, 10) prints a text entitled ' 'Tom Redman." Chappell (Folk-Songs of Roanoke and the Albemarle, 1939, pp. 174175) has a three-stanza version labelled "The Foxes." See also Eddy (Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939, pp. 202-204) and the Brown (North Carolina Folk-Lore Society) collection.

This version is very difficult to sing, but lots of fun.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: r.padgett
Date: 19 Jun 20 - 12:41 AM

Three Jolly Huntsman ~ appears in [More] Burl Ives songs 1966 copyright 1962
He also recorded on vinyl for Decca

This song is still being sung around the folk clubs in UK ~ not necessarily the Burl Ives words btw

Ray

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: r.padgett
Date: 19 Jun 20 - 12:44 AM

Compare with Three Jolly Huntsman ~ or have I missed the point?

Ray

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: Reinhard
Date: 19 Jun 20 - 01:52 AM

George Gardiner collected Three Jolly Huntsmen from William Taylor at Peterfield Workhouse, Hampshire, in August 1908 [VWML GG/1/18/1130]. Frank Purslow included this version in 1965 in his E.F.D.S. book Marrow Bones:

Three Jolly Huntsmen

It's of three jolly huntsmen went out to hunt for fox
But where shall we find him amongst the hills and rocks?

Chorus (after each verse):
With my hip, hip, hip and my holloa
And away went the merry, merry band.
With my ran tan tan and my chivvy, chivvy chan
All over the merry, merry strand.
With my ugle, ugle, ugle, went the bugle horn,
Fal le ral, fal le ral, fal le ral le dee.
Through the woods we'll go, brave boys,
And through the woods we'll go.

The first we met was a fair maid a-combing out her locks,
She swore she saw bold Reynolds amongst the farmer's ducks.

The next we met was a farmer a-ploughing of his land,
He swore he saw bold Reynolds amongst the ewes and lambs.

And the next we met was a miller a-working of his mill,
He swore he saw bold Reynolds run over yonder hill.

And the next we met was a blind man, as blind as blind could be,
He swore he saw bold Reynolds run up a hollow tree.

And the next we met was a parson, and he was dressed in black,
He swore he saw bold Reynolds upon the huntsman's back.

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: r.padgett
Date: 20 Jun 20 - 03:00 AM

Yes Reinhard ~ the above version is the one currently sung that I know of ~ of course is close to " The Fox Hunt" tune used and requested here

Ray

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: GUEST,M Patton
Date: 02 Jun 21 - 01:35 AM

The Bayou version my dad sang was

Oh come ye jolly hunters
Who wish to hunt a fox
Who wish to hunt Beau Reynar’
Among the hills and rocks.
With a hoot, hoot an’ a hollar
All through one merry stream
With a Dan Dan diffy and a cry all o’er
Through the woods we go my boys,
Through the woods we go.

I don’t remember the verses

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: GUEST,Auntfran
Date: 28 Jun 21 - 10:53 PM

I learned this song (with slightly different lyrics) from my father, who learned it from his mother, who learned it from her father. I don't know from whom he learned it. I have never found it in a songbook, much less sheet music. This is how my dad sang it:

Come all ye merry huntsmen who love to hunt the fox
Who love to hunt poor Reynard among the hills and rocks.
CHORUS:
Come a hoot come a hoot come a hiyo, along the merry way.
A rap rap rap, a tap tap tap A bow-wow-wow and a bugle call
A fee-fie-fiddle, and an eye-dee-oh
And through the woods we'll run brave boys
and through the woods we'll run

First we saw a boatman a-rocking in his boat.
He said he saw poor Reynard, among the waves afloat.
CHORUS

Next we saw a blind man as blind as he could be.
He said he saw poor Reynard up in a hollow tree.

CHORUS

Any other versions?

Subject: RE: Tune/Lyrics: The Fox Hunt / Reindeer
From: GUEST,AuntFran
Date: 16 Apr 24 - 02:14 PM

I learned this song from my father who learned it from his mother. I don't know who taught it to her. The version was slightly different, bur included the verses about the boat and the blind man.