  Och, Modereen Rue, you little red rover, By the glint of the moon you stole out of your cover, And now there is never an egg to be got, Nor a handsome fat chicken to put in the pot. Och, Modereen Rue! With your nose to the earth and your ear on the listen, You slunk through the stubble with frost-drops aglisten, With my lovely fat drake in your teeth as you went, That your red roguish children should breakfast content. Och, Modereen Rue! Och, Modereen Rue, hear the horn for a warning, They are looking for red roguish foxes this morning; But let them come my way, you little red rogue, 'Tis I will betray you to huntsman and dog. Och, Modereen Rue! The little red rogue, he's the colour of bracken, O'er mountains, o'er valleys, his pace will not slacken, Tantara! Tantara! he is off now, and, faith! 'Tis a race 'twixt the little red rogue and his death. Och, Modereen Rue! For the little red rogues with their tricks and their thieving. The hounds they give tongue, and the quarry's in sight, The hens on the roost may sleep easy to-night. Och, Modereen Rue! But my blessing be on him. He made the hounds follow Through the woods, through the dales, over hill, over hollow, It was Modereen Rue led them fast, led them far, From the glint of the morning till eve's silver star. Och, Modereen Rue! But he saved his red brush for his own future wearing, He slipped into a drain, and he left the hounds swearing. Good luck, my fine fellow, and long may you show Such a clean pair of heels to the hounds as they go. Och, Modereen Rue! Katherine Tynan-Hinkson. FOOTNOTES: |
|
