The Barleycorn lyrics

There were three farmers in the north

As they were passing by

They swore an oath a mighty oath that barleycorn should die

One of them said drown him

And the other said hang him high

For whoever will stick to barleygrain a-begging he will die

They put poor barley into a sack

On a cold and rainy day

And brought him up to curmfield

And buried him in the clay

Frost and snow began to melt

And the dew began to fall

Then barleygrain put up his head

And he soon surprised them all

Being in the summer season

And the harvest coming on

Is the time he stands up in the field

With his beard like any man

The reaper then came with his sickle

And used me barberously

Oh he cut me by 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

But in the middle there was a thistle

Which pulled his courage down

The farmer came with his pitchfork

And 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

T’would grieve the heart of any man to hear my sighs and moans

The next thing that they've done to me

They steeped me in the well

And they left me there for a day and a night

Until I began to swell

And the next thing that they've done to me

They dried me in the kiln

They used me ten times worse than that

They ground me in the mill

They used me in the kitchen

They used me in the hall

They used me in the parlour among the ladies all

The Barleygrain is a comical grain it makes men sigh and moan

But when they take a glass or two

They forget their wives at home

The drunkard is a dirty man he used me worst of all

Oh he drank me up in his dirty mouth and he tumbled against the wall