John Barleycorn...a ballad

Robert Burns 1782

THERE WAS THREE KINGS INTO THE EAST,
THREE KINGS BOTH GREAT AND HIGH,
AND THEY HAE SWORN A SOLEMN OATH
JOHN BARLEYCORN SHOULD DIE.

THEY TOOK A PLOUGH AND PLOUGH'D HIM
DOWN,
PUT CLODS UPON HIS HEAD,
AND THEY HAE SWORN A SOLEMN OATH
JOHN BARLEYCORN WAS DEAD.

BUT THE CHEERFUL SPRING CAME KINDLY ON,
AND SHOW'RS BEGAN TO FALL;
JOHN BARLEYCORN GOT UP AGAIN,
AND SORE SURPRIS'D THEM ALL.

THE SULTRY SUNS OF SUMMER CAME,
AND HE GREW THICK AND STRONG;
HIS HEAD WEEL ARM'D WI' POINTED SPEARS,
THAT NO ONE SHOULD HIM WRONG.

THE SOBER AUTUMN ENTER'D MILD,
WHEN HE GREW WAN AND PALE;
HIS BENDING JOINTS AND DROOPING HEAD
SHOW'D HE BEGAN TO FAIL.

HIS COLOUR SICKEN'D MORE AND MORE,
HE FADED INTO AGE;
AND THEN HIS ENEMIES BEGAN
TO SHOW THEIR DEADLY RAGE.

THEY'VE TAEN A WEAPON,LONG AND SHARP,
AND CUT HIM BY THE KNEE;
THEN TIED HIM FAST UPON A CART,
LIKE A ROGUE FOR FORGERIE.

THEY LAID HIM DOWN UPON HIS BACK,
AND CUDGELL'D HIM FULL SORE;
THEY HUNG HIM UP BEFORE THE STORM,
AND TURNED HIM O'ER AND O'ER.

THEY FILLED UP A DARKSOME PIT
WITH WATER TO THE BRIM;
THEY HEAVED IN JOHN BARLEYCORN,
THERE LET HIM SINK OR SWIM.

THEY LAID HIM OUT UPON THE FLOOR,
TO WORK HIM FARTHER WOE;
AND STILL, AS SIGNS OF LIFE APPEAR'D,
THEY TOSS'D HIM TO AND FRO.

THEY WASTED, O'ER A SCORCHING FLAME,
THE MARROW OF HIS BONES;
BUT A MILLER US'D HIM WORST OF ALL,
FOR HE CRUSH'D HIM BETWEEN TWO STONES.
AND THEY HAE TAEN HIS VERY HEART'S
BLOOD,
AND DRANK IT ROUND AND ROUND;
AND STILL THE MORE AND MORE THEY DRANK,
THEIR JOY DID MORE ABOUND.

JOHN BARLEYCORN WAS A HERO BOLD,
OF NOBLE ENTERPRISE;
FOR IF YOU DO BUT TASTE HIS BLOOD,
'TWILL MAKE YOUR COURAGE RISE.

'TWILL MAKE A MAN FORGET HIS WOE;
'TWILL HEIGHTEN ALL HIS JOY;
'TWILL MAKE THE WIDOW'S HEART TO SING,
THO' THE TEAR WERE IN HER EYE.

THEN LET US TOAST JOHN BARLEYCORN,
EACH MAN A GLASS IN HAND;
AND MAY HIS GREAT POSTERITY
NE'ER FAIL IN OLD SCOTLAND!