A German town has banned a popular children's song - about a fox stealing a goose - from being rung out from its town hall tower after a vegan resident complained the melody was making her upset.

Residents in the storybook town of Limburg an der Lahn in Hesse are serenaded daily by the town hall glockenspiel, which rings out a repertoire of traditional songs.

Among them is a tune called Fuchs, Du hast die Gans gestohlen, which translates as 'Fox, you stole the Goose'.

Residents in the storybook town of Limburg an der Lahn in Hesse are serenaded daily by the town hall glockenspiel

The children's song talks of hunter shooting a fox with his gun, and contains lyrics such as '[he] takes a little shot at you, so you're tinged with red, and then you're dead.'

The woman reportedly objected to a line in the song that says: 'the hunter will get you with his gun.'

The unnamed woman, who works within earshot of the town hall, has complained that just hearing the tune distresses her.

The fact that the tune played from the tower was given a purely instrumental version was apparently no consolation to the woman.

The children's song talks of hunter shooting a fox with his gun after the animal steals a goose

The lyrics to 'Fox, You've Stolen the Goose' Fox, you've stolen the goose Give it back! Give it back! Or the hunter will get you with his gun, Or the hunter will get you with his gun. His big, long gun, Takes a little shot at you, takes a little shot at you, So, you're tinged with red And then you're dead. So, you're tinged with red And then you're dead. Dear little fox, let me advise you: Don't be a thief, Don't be a thief, Don't take the roast goose, Be content with the mouse. Don't take the roast goose, Be content with the mouse. Advertisement

In response, town hall leader Marius Hahn has banned the song from the list of approved tunes, saying he did not want to be a 'monster' to the woman.

He agreed to grant the woman's request to stop playing the song because she had 'asked nicely', Hessenschau reports.

'We are giving the goose a closed hunting season and regularly switch out the musical pieces,' town spokesman Johannes Laubach said.

'We have 15 songs in the repertoire, mainly German folk songs', he added.

He also said there had been no complaints from atheists about the inclusion of traditional song 'Wem Gott will rechte Gunst erweisen' - meaning 'Whoever God wants to bestow his favour on'.