John Barleycorn — текст песни (Fairport Convention)

There were three men come out of the west, their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn would die
They`ve ploughed, they`ve sown, they`ve harrowed, thrown clods upon his head
Till these three men were satisfied John Barleycorn was dead
(Chorus)
There`s beer all in the barrel and brandy in the glass
But little Sir John, with his nut-brown bowl, proved the strongest man at last
They`ve let him lie for a long long time till the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprang up his head and so amazed them all
They`ve let him stand till midsummer`s day and he looks both pale and wan
Then little Sir John`s grown a long long beard and so become a man
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
They`ve hired men with the sharp-edged scythes to cut him off at the knee
They`ve rolled him and tied him around the waist, treated him most barbarously
They`ve hired men with the sharp-edged forks to prick him to the heart
And the loader has served him worse than that for he`s bound him to the cart
So they`ve wheeled him around and around the field till they`ve come unto a barn
And here they`ve kept their solemn word concerning Barleycorn
They`ve hired men with the crabtree sticks to split him skin from bone
And the miller has served him worse than that for he`s ground him between two stones
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
And the huntsman he can`t hunt the fox nor loudly blow his horn
And the tinker he can`t mend his pots without John Barleycorn