Come Hither: A Collection of Rhymes and Poems for the Young of All Ages

by Unknown

JOHN PEEL

D'ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?

D'ye ken John Peel at the break of the day?

D'ye ken John Peel when he's far, far away,

With his hounds and his horn in the morning?

'Twas the sound of his horn called me from my bed,

And the cry of his hounds has me oft-times led,

For Peel's View-hollo would awaken the dead,

Or a fox from his lair in the morning.

D'ye ken that bitch whose tongue is death?

D'ye ken her sons of peerless faith?

D'ye ken that a fox with his last breath

Cursed them all as he died in the morning?

Yes, I ken John Peel and Ruby too

Ranter and Royal and Bellman as true;

From the drag to the chase, from the chase to a view,

From a view to the death in the morning.

And I've followed John Peel both often and far

O'er the rasper-fence and the gate and the bar,

From Low Denton Holme up to Scratchmere Scar,

When we vied for the brush in the morning.

Then here's to John Peel with my heart and soul,

Come fill—fill to him another strong bowl:

And we'll follow John Peel through fair and through foul,

While we're waked by his horn in the morning.

'Twas the sound of his horn called me from my bed,

And the cry of his hounds has me oft-times led,

For Peel's View-hollo would awaken the dead

Or a fox from his lair in the morning.

John Woodcock Graves

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