There were three farmers in the north, as they were passing by
|
they swore an oath so mighty oh that Barleycorn should die
|
one of them said: drown him and the other sad: hang him high
|
for whoever will stick to Barleycorn a-begging he will die
|
|
they put poor Barley into a sack an a cold an rainy day
|
and took him out to cornfields and buried him in the clay
|
frost and snow began to melt and dew began to fall
|
when Barleygrain put up his head and he soon surprised them all
|
|
being in the summer season and the harvest coming on
|
itˇ®s the time he stands up in the field with a beard like any man
|
?the reaper then came with his sickle and used me barberously
|
he cut me in the middle so small and he cut me above the knee
|
|
the next came was the binder and he looked at me with a frown
|
for in the middle there was a thistle which pulled his courage down
|
the farmer came with his pitch fork and he pierced me to the heart
|
like a thief, a rogue or a highwayman they tied me to the cart
|
|
the thresher came with his big flail and soon he broke my bones
|
could grieve the heart of any man to hear my sighs and moans
|
the next thing that theyˇ®ve done to me they steeped me in the well
|
they left me there for a day and night until I began to swell
|
|
and next thing that theyˇ®ve done to me they dried me in a kiln
|
they used me ten times worse, than that they ground me in the mill
|
they used me in the kichen, they used me in the hall
|
oh they used me in the parlour among the ladies all
|
|
the Barleygrain is a comical grain, it makes men sigh and moan
|
for when they drink a glass or two they forget their wives and home
|
the drunkard is a dirty man, he used me worst of all
|
he drank me up in his dirty mouth an he tumbled against the wallˇ°
|
|
-----------------
|
John Barleycorn
|
Subway To Sally |