on Nanny vents his spite,
Nanny who ate the grapes of late,
And master shuts the garden gate.

The fox looked out one moonlight night,
And called to the stars to give him light,
For he'd a long way to go, over the snow,
Before he could reach his den-oh!

Old Mother Prittle-Prattle jumped out of bed,
And out of the window she popped her head,
"John! John! John! the grey goose is gone,
And the fox is off to his den-oh!"

The fox he got quite safe to his den,
And to his little ones--eight--nine--ten,
The fox and his wife they ate the goose,
And the little ones picked the bones-oh!

Poor Dog Bright!
Ran off with all his might,
Because the cat was after him,
Poor Dog Bright!

Poor cat Fright!
Ran off with all her might,
Because the dog was after her,
Poor Cat Fright!

CHARM FOR AN INJURED HORSE

Our Lord forth raide,
His foal's foot slade.
Our Lord down-lighted,
His foal's foot righted.
Saying, "Flesh to flesh, blood to blood,
And bane to bane."
In our Lord His name.

FROM POOR ROBIN'S ALMANAC (1733)

Observe which way the hedgehog builds her nest,
To front the north, or south, or east, or west;
For if 'tis true that common people say,
The wind will blow the quite contrary way.
If by some secret art the hedgehog know,
So long before, the way the wind will blow,
She has an art which many a person lacks,
That thinks himself fit to make our Almanacs.

Into woods where beasts can talk,
I went out to take a walk,
A rabbit sitting in a bush
Peeped at me, and then cried, "Hush!"
Presently to me it ran,
And its story thus began:--

"You have got a gun, I see,
Perhaps you'll point it soon at me,
And when I am shot, alack!
Pop me in your little sack.
When upon my fate I think
I grow faint, my spirits sink."

"Pretty rabbit, do not eat
Gardener's greens or farmer's wheat,
If such thieving you begin,
You must pay it with your skin;
Honestly your living get,
And you may be happy yet."

See the little rabbits,
How they run and sweat;
Some shoot 'em with a gun,
Others catch 'em with a net.

THE HUNTING OF THE WREN

"Will ye go to the wood?" quo' Fozie Mozie;
"Will ye go to the wood?" quo' Johnnie Rednosie;
"Will ye go to the wood?"