Certes, he Jakke Straw and his meynee
Ne made never shoutes half so shrille
Whan that they wolden any Flemyng kille,
As thilke day was maad upon the fox.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. An army of people and animals gave chase after the Fox shouting loud and shrilly in an effort to rescue Chauntecleer from the Fox’s mouth. They included the poor widow and her two daughters, some men, the dogs, hens, geese, ducks and even the bees.