[Intro] As we were out a-hunting One morning in the spring Both hounds and horses running well Made the hills and the valleys ring [Verse 1] But to our great misfortune No fox there could be found Our huntsmen cursed and swore but still No fox moved over the ground And upspoke our master huntsman The master of the chase If only the Devil himself'd come by We'd run him such a race” [Verse 2] And up there sprung like lightening A fox from out of his hole His fur was the color of a starless night And his eyes like burning coals And they chased him over the valley And they chased him over the fields They chased him down to the riverbank But never would he yield [Pre-Chorus] And he's jumped into the water And he's swum to the other side And he's laughed so loud that the greenwood shook And then he's turned to the huntsmen and cried: [Chorus] “Ride on my gallant huntsmen when must I come again? For never shall you want for a fox to chase all over the glen And when your need is greatest, just call upon My Name And I will come and you shall have the best of sportin' again” [Verse 4] And the men looked up in wonder And the hounds run back to hide For the fox had changed to the Devil himself Where he stood on the other side And the men, the hounds and horses Went flying back to town And hard on their heels come a little black fox Laughing as he ran [Chorus] “Ride on my gallant huntsmen when must I come again? For never shall you want for a fox to chase all over the glen And when your need is greatest, just call upon My Name And I will come and you shall have the best of sportin' again." [Outro] "Oh, ride on my gallant huntsmen when must I come again? For never shall you want for a fox to chase all over the glen"