THE HEN AND FOX.

My own fat hen Did go one day Out in the lot, An egg to lay. The day was hot; A cow sat by, And in her ear Was a big fly. "Buz, buz, buz, buz," The fly did go, In the cow's ear, And bit it so. The cow did say, "O moo! O moo! Do go a-way, O do! O do! "Go to the pig, You bad old fly, Get out! get out! O moo! O my!" It did not go, The bad old fly; And now it lit In the cow's eye. Up she did hop! And ran a-way; And now my hen Her egg did lay. But oh! oh! oh! A sly red fox, Who was all hid In an old box, Did get my hen And get her egg, Tho' she did cry, And she did beg. But the red fox, O me! O my! He bit and bit, So she did die. He ate her up In his old den: He ate her up, My own fat hen. And I so sad All day, did spy To see the bad Red fox go by. I set a net, And oh! I saw The bad red fox Put in his paw. Now he did cry, And he did beg, But no! I had Him by the leg. To let him go Was not to be, And our old Dan Did say to me: "O the bad fox! As I say 'one,' I'll hit him—pop! Out of my gun." The fox did die, And my new hen Can lay an egg, Or two, or ten. For now no fox Can eat my hen, Or get her egg, Or two, or ten.