Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 1

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76	ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
WHO'S THE FOOL NOW ? This tune is in Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book, and it is one of the Freemen's Songs in Deuteromelia, 1609. It was entered on the books of the Stationer's Company as a ballad in 1588, when Thomas Orwyn had a license to print it; and it is alluded to in Dekkec's comedy, Old Fortunatus, where Shadow says: " Only to make other idiots laugh, and wise men to cry ' Who's the fool now ?' " which is the burden of every verse. It is thought to be a satire upon those who tell wonderful stories.



I saw the man in the moon ; Fie ! man, fie ! I saw the man in the moon ; "Who's the fool now ? I saw the man in the moon Clouting of St. Peter's shoon ; Thou hast well drunken, man— Who's the fool now ? I saw a hare chase a hound ; Fie! man, fie! I saw a hare chase a honnd ; • Who's the fool now 1 I saw a hare chase a hound, Twenty miles above the ground; Thou hast well drunken, man— Who's the fool now ?		I saw a goose ring a hog; Fie ! man, £e ! I saw a goose ring a hog ; Who's the fool now ? I saw a goose ring a hog, And a snail bite a dog; Tho hast well drunken, man— Who's the fool now 1 I saw a mouse catch a cat; Fie ! man, fie! I saw a mouse catch a cat; Who's the fool now ? I saw a mouse catch a cat, And the cheese eat the rat; Thou hast well drunken, man— Who's the fool now?