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Copyright image by
David Swanbu
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The Foxes Hunt (Naturally
before the ‘Ban’.)
or 'The Travails of a Fell Huntsman'.
or 'The Travails of a Fell Huntsman'.
The huntsman stumbled up the hill
The foxes panting for the kill,
He’d set off to hunt - a lovely day!
But things turned out the other way.
His hounds had fled as on the moor
A pack of foxes through them tore,
Determined now to make amends.
For fallen brethren and their friends.
As hounds soon vanished out of sight.
The huntsman recognised his plight.
The followers had also gone.
There was no sign of anyone!
He slunk along through peaty mire,
The fear and stress made him perspire.
Down wind he knew he had to go,
The cunning of a fox he’d show.
The foxes testing for his scent
Were casting with evil intent.
They had to have that man in red,
To tear his guts out, grind his head.
An old dog wiser than the rest
Just caught a glimpse of scarlet vest,
As by the rocks, up near the scree
The huntsman upward tried to flee.
His stick had broken in a crack
He’d fallen down and hurt his back
His horn had squashed into his breast
To leave him winded, and distressed.
In studded boots he scrambled on
The pack now saw where he had gone.
With glistening fangs they moved as one
This quarry would be quickly won!
He dropped his hat.
He cast his coat.
He ripped his stock from round his throat.
With tearing lungs he fought for air
His strength now sapped; now black despair
The pack soon sensed he’d run his last.
With loping gait they caught up fast.
Snarling close they came to kill
A man at bay upon the hill.
He smelled the hot and foetid breath.
He knew he was not long from death.
He closed his eyes and screamed a cry
That huntsmen do - to help things die!
His body tossed as in a fit.
A taste of blood – his tongue he bit.
Which woke him from his drunken dream
In time to stop another scream
So there’s a moral here somewhere,.
It’s safer if you hunt the hare,
But if you have to hunt the fox
Just keep away from booze and rocks.
Copyright David W Swanbury
24.10.99
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Copyright image by
David Swanbury
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