I'll second and vouch for that; there's a series of books by that name from a school project in the early 70s, doing oral histories in the Southern Apallachians: http://www.foxfire.org/prodFFbooks.html
If you're listening to Sally Rogers this evening, Gwen, surely you're familiar with her rendition of Mister Fox. It's on her joint album with the inimitable Claudia Schmidt; While We Live. Mister Fox Author: John Pole As sung by Sylvia Herold
Outside Mr. Fox's garden, three maids playing with a golden ball Jenny threw it up and Susan caught it, Mary bounced it over the wall The wall is high - Mr. Fox has a little red eye
In she ran to fetch it back again, the garden gate stood open wide It silently closed and locked behind her. Mr. Fox stood just inside The wall is high - his smile is cruel and his eyes are sly
He says, "I'll keep this golden ball, Miss Mary. I shall have it and here you will stay. You will keep my house and be my servant, never stir out for a year and a day The wall is high - the grasses shiver and the tall trees sigh
Spring and summer passed like shadows, she saw the green leaves fade and fall She walked alone in the empty garden, Mr. Fox said nothing at all The wall is high - never a soul came near nor by
But three strange things he did forbid her, "Never touch my iron box Never go near the thirteenth bedroom, nor near the bed," said Mr. Fox The wall is high - "Mary, don't you dare ask why."
Mary she rose up one morning, found an iron box on the shelf But of all the rooms at Mr. Fox's, bedrooms there were only twelve The wall is high - Mary, don't you peep and pry
One day Mr. Fox went walking - in that box she found a key It fitted a door she'd never unfastened and when she opened it, what did she see? The wall is high - the door said run and the key said fly
In Mr. Fox's thirteenth bedroom, a naked sword hung on the wall In a silver bowl on the beds black counterpane, there she saw her golden ball The wall is high - the bed said come and the sword said die
In she ran to snatch her ball again, to fetch it off that great black bed Out jumped Mr. Fox and leapt at her, his teeth flashed white and his eyes burnt red The wall is high.
Sally and Claudia add a final verse to bring it around:
Outside Mr. Fox's garden, three maids playing with a golden ball Jenny threw it up and Susan caught it, Polly bounced it over the wall
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branchandroot
foxes
Date: 2006-10-13 03:53 am (UTC)http://www.foxfire.org/prodFFbooks.html
If you're listening to Sally Rogers this evening, Gwen, surely you're familiar with her rendition of Mister Fox. It's on her joint album with the inimitable Claudia Schmidt; While We Live.
Mister Fox
Author: John Pole
As sung by Sylvia Herold
Outside Mr. Fox's garden, three maids playing with a golden ball
Jenny threw it up and Susan caught it, Mary bounced it over the wall
The wall is high - Mr. Fox has a little red eye
In she ran to fetch it back again, the garden gate stood open wide
It silently closed and locked behind her. Mr. Fox stood just inside
The wall is high - his smile is cruel and his eyes are sly
He says, "I'll keep this golden ball, Miss Mary. I shall have it and here you will stay.
You will keep my house and be my servant, never stir out for a year and a day
The wall is high - the grasses shiver and the tall trees sigh
Spring and summer passed like shadows, she saw the green leaves fade and fall
She walked alone in the empty garden, Mr. Fox said nothing at all
The wall is high - never a soul came near nor by
But three strange things he did forbid her, "Never touch my iron box
Never go near the thirteenth bedroom, nor near the bed," said Mr. Fox
The wall is high - "Mary, don't you dare ask why."
Mary she rose up one morning, found an iron box on the shelf
But of all the rooms at Mr. Fox's, bedrooms there were only twelve
The wall is high - Mary, don't you peep and pry
One day Mr. Fox went walking - in that box she found a key
It fitted a door she'd never unfastened and when she opened it, what did she see?
The wall is high - the door said run and the key said fly
In Mr. Fox's thirteenth bedroom, a naked sword hung on the wall
In a silver bowl on the beds black counterpane, there she saw her golden ball
The wall is high - the bed said come and the sword said die
In she ran to snatch her ball again, to fetch it off that great black bed
Out jumped Mr. Fox and leapt at her, his teeth flashed white and his eyes burnt red
The wall is high.
Sally and Claudia add a final verse to bring it around:
Outside Mr. Fox's garden, three maids playing with a golden ball
Jenny threw it up and Susan caught it, Polly bounced it over the wall