There were three men came out of the west

Their fortunes for to try

John Barleycorn - Nigel Perrin

And these three men made a solemn vow

John barley corn should die

They've plowed they've sown they've harrowed him in

Threw clods upon his head

And these three men made a solemn vow

John barley corn was dead

They've let him lie for a very long time

Til the rains from heaven did fall

And little sir john sprung up his head

And so amazed them all

They've let him stand 'til midsummer's day

Til he looked both pale and wan

And little sir john's he grown long a beard

And so become a man

And they've hired men with their scythes

So sharp to cut him off at the knee

They've rolled him and tied him

By the way i serving him most barbarously

They've hired of men with their sharp pitchforks

Who've pricked him to the heart

And the loader he served him worse than that

For he's bound him to the cart

They've wheeled him around and around a field 'til

They came onto a pond

And there they made a solemn on poor john barley corn

They've hired men with

Their crabtree sticks to cut him skin from bone

And the miller he served him worse than that

For he's ground him between two stones

And here sir john and the nut brown bowl

And his brandy in the glass

And little sir john and the nut brown bowl proved

The strongest man at last

And the huntsman he can't hunt the

Fox nor so loudly to blow his horn

And the tinker he can not mend kettle

Or pots without a little barley corn