{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/meft/meft40.htm","path":"neu/eng/meft/meft40.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/meft/meft40.htm","text":"The fox and his wife they had a great strife,\n They never ate mustard in all their whole life;\n They ate their meat without fork or knife \n And loved to be picking a bone, e-ho!\nThe fox went out, one still, clear night,\n And he prayed the moon to give him light,\n For he'd a long way to travel that night,\n Before he got back to his den-o!\nThe fox when he came to yonder stile,\n He lifted his lugs and he listened a while!\n 'Oh, ho!' said the fox, 'it's but a short mile\n From this unto yonder wee town, e-ho!'\n\u00a0And first he arrived at a farmer's yard,\n Where the ducks and geese declared it was hard,\n That their nerves should be shaken and their rest should be marred\n By the visits of Mister Fox-o!\nThe fox when he came to the farmer's gate,\n Who should he see but the farmer's drake;\n 'I love you well for your master's sake,\n And long to be picking your bones, e-ho!'\nThe grey goose she ran round the hay-stack,\n Oh, ho!' said the fox, 'you are very fat;\n You'll grease my beard and ride on my back\n From this into yonder wee town, e-ho!'\nThen he took the grey goose by her sleeve,\n And said: 'Madam Grey Goose, by your leave\n I'll take you away without reprieve,\n And carry you back to my den-o!'\nAnd he seized the black duck by the neck,\n And slung him all across his back,\n The black duck cried out 'quack, quack, quack',\n With his legs all dangling down-o!\nOld Mother Wiggle-Waggle hopped out of bed,\n Out of the window she popped her old head;\n 'Oh! husband, oh! husband, the grey goose is gone,\n And the fox is off to his den, oh!'\nThen the old man got up in his red cap,\n And swore he would catch the fox in a trap;\n But the fox was too cunning, and gave him the slip,\n And ran through the town, the town, oh!\nWhen he got to the top of the hill,\n He blew his trumpet both loud and shrill,\n For joy that he was safe and sound\n Through the town, oh!\nBut at last he arrived at his home again,\n To his dear little foxes, eight, nine, ten,\n Says he, 'You're in luck, here's a fine fat duck\n With his legs all dangling down-o!'\nSo he sat down together with his hungry wife,\n And they did very well without fork or knife,\n They never ate a better duck in all their life,\n And the little ones picked the bones-o !","title":"More English Fairy Tales: Old Mother Wiggle-Waggle","type":"page"}