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Parfit went out one cold dark night |
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Walking the Yorkshire woods all round |
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Thinking to find some game to eat |
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Along the frosted ground |
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He heard the pheasant in the trees |
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Innocent to the wild owl call |
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Come the keeper's stealthy tread |
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His mean heart wrapped in gall |
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The Duke of Norfolk's game keeper |
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Out to the woodland come |
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Protecting life, so it be killed |
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On a sporting day for fun |
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He give chase to John Parfit |
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All in the lonely copse that night |
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Struggling beneath the bare branched trees |
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In the foxes' silent sight |
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A shot was fired and, sad to tell, |
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Laid John Parfit on the ground |
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For a moment's rage and carelessness |
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Precious blood flowed down |
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In the light of dawn |
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Brown leaves on mossy ground |
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On a woodland place where death has come |
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Golden sun shown down |
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The game keeper was told go free |
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For it was said that there was no crime |
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That a man was killed and stupidly |
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Nobody seemed to mind |
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The world's a tattered and rusty place |
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Drowning memories of countless men |
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Guardians guard by earthly fence |
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But who will guard the guardians? |
