<bgsound src="..\midi\redfox.mid" loop="1"> An Maidrín Rua - The Little Red Fox


A lone red fox lies curled in the hay. Unlike the pack-forming gray wolves, red foxes are solitary. Long renowned for their cleverness through depiction in fairy tales and songs, "Vulpes vulpes" is Ireland's only species of fox. Although they may be aesthetically pleasing, foxes kill with a ruthless ferocity which is unrivalled in the Irish animal kingdom. Foxes devastate gamebirds and other wildlife populations. The song below is a great favourite with the uilleann pipers ... photo courtesy of National Geographic, 1997.

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1. Ag g’bháil ó thuaidh dom thar Shliabh Luachra, 'Gus mise ‘cur tuairisc’ mo ghéanna, Ar mo chasadh anuas sea fuair mé a dtuairisc, Go raibh maidrín ru’ á n-aoireacht! Cúrfá An maidrín ru’, ru’, rua, rua, rua, An maidrín rua ‘tá gránna, An maidrín rua ‘na luí sa luachair, ‘Gus barr a dhá chluais in airde. 2. “Good morrow, fox!” “Good morrow, sir !” ”Pray what is that you’re ate-ing ?” “A fine fat goose I stole from you And will you come and taste it ?” 3. “Oh ! No indeed, ní áil liom í, Ní bhlaisfead pioc di ar aon chor, But I vow and swear you’ll dearly pay, For my fine fat goose you’re ate-ing !” Cúrfá 4. Hark, hark, Finder, Lily agus Piper ! Cruinnigí na gadhair lena chéile Hark, hark, Truman, is leisce an cú thú Is maith an cú thú, Bateman ! 5. Tally ho ! lena bhonn ! Tally ho lena bhonn ! Tally ho ! lena bhonn, a choileáinín! Tally ho ! lena bhonn ! Tally ho lena bhonn ! Agus barr a dhá chluais in airde ! 6. Greadadh croí cráite ort, a mhaidrín ghránna, A rug uaim m’ái breá géanna, Mo choiligh mhóra bhreátha ‘s mo chearca ‘bhí go hálainn, Is mo lachain bheaga ab fhearr a bhí in Éirinn ! Cúrfá

As I was goin' north over Sliabh Luachra, An' I seeking my geese, As I came down I got news of them, And that the fox was herding them ! Chorus: The little red fox, roo - roo - roo, The little red fox that is ugly, The little red fox lying in the rushes, And the tips of his ears pricked up. “Good morrow, fox!” “Good morrow, sir !” ”Pray what is that you’re ate-ing?” “A fine fat goose I stole from you And will you come and taste it ?” “Oh ! No indeed, I have no desire for it, I won't taste a bit of it at all, But I vow and swear you’ll dearly pay, For my fine fat goose you’re ate-ing !” Chorus: Hark, hark, Finder, Lily and Piper ! Gather the hounds together Hark, hark, Truman, you're a lazy dog Bateman - You're a goodun' ! Tally ho ! on his trail ! Tally ho on his trail Tally ho ! on his trail , my puppies ! Tally ho ! on his trail , Tally ho ! on his trail ! And the tips of his ears pricked up. Bad cess to you, you ugly little fox, Who snatched my fine geese from me, My fine big rooster and my hens that were so beautiful, And my little ducks that were the finest in Ireland !

Courtesy of: Vivian and Jack, IrishPage.com June 2024
Replay music: Red Fox sequencer unknown
Aistriuchán agus fogaireacht ó Seán ó hAonghusa
Cabhair ó Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin.

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