The earliest version of the song was a Middle English poem, dating from the 15th century, found in the British Museum.
The first, usually called "The Fox and the Goose", goes as follows: "Pax uobis,"[a] quod the ffox, "for I am comyn to toowne."
It fell ageyns the next nyght the fox yede to with all his myghte, with-outen cole or candelight, whan that he cam vnto the toowne.
Whan he cam all in the yarde, soore te geys wer ill a-ferde.
The fals fox camme to owre halle dore; and shrove our gese there in the flore.
The fals fox camme uppoun a day, and with oure gese he made a ffray.
In Joseph Ritson's Gammer Gurton's Garland (1810), the song is recorded (under the name "Dame Widdle Waddle") thus: (The cover of 'The Fox' by Marty Robbins has the same lyrics as below.)
Old Mother Widdle Waddle jumpt out of bed, And out at the casement she popt out her head: Crying the house is on fire, the grey goose is dead,