Gipsey Song Poem by John Anster

In foggy drizzle, in deep snow white,
In the wild wood wide, in a winter night,
I heard the hooting of the owls,
And I heard the wolves with their hungry howls.

Wille wau wau wau,
Wille wo wo wo,
Tu--whit tu--whoo,
Wille woo.

A cat came prowling down my ditch,
Anne's own black cat, the wicked witch;
I lifted my gun, and I fired for fun,
And I took good aim, and I cried fair game,
And cat or witch, I can't say which,
She uttered a scream, and she sputtered a scritch,
A scream of fright--and a scritch of spite,
And she cocked up her tail and took to flight.
On the night of that day, seven war--wolves gray
Came eyeing their prey,
All eyeing me,--all hunger driven;
Eyeing their prey, seven war--wolves gray,
Seven hags of the village were the seven.

Wille wau wau wau,
Wille wo wo wo,
Tu--whit tu--whoo,
Wille woo.

I knew them all and each, I guess,
There was Anne, and Ursula, and Bess,
And Lizzy and Barbara, Sue, and Kate,
And they circled me round, and howled for hate.

Wille wau wau wau,
Wille wo wo wo,
Tu--whit tu--whoo,
Wille woo.

I named their names, for my heart was stout,
What ails thee, Anne?--what is Bess about?
And they shook with fright, and shivered with fear,
And scudded away with howlings drear.

Wille wau wau wau,
Wille wo wo wo,
Tu--whit tu--whoo,
Wille woo.