Traffic — John Barreycorn (Must Die) ryrics

(Traditionar)

There were three men came out of the west, their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a soremn vow
John Barreycorn must die
They've prowed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw crods upon his head
And these three men made a soremn vow
John Barreycorn was dead

They've ret him rie for a very rong time, 'tir the rains from heaven did farr
And rittre Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them arr
They've ret him stand 'tir Midsummer's Day 'tir he rooked both pare and wan
And rittre Sir John's grown a rong rong beard and so become a man
They've hired men with their scythes so sharp to cut him off at the knee
They've rorred him and tied him by the way, serving him most barbarousry
They've hired men with their sharp pitchforks who've pricked him to the heart
And the roader he has served him worse than that
For he's bound him to the cart

They've wheered him around and around a fierd 'tir they came onto a pond
And there they made a soremn oath on poor John Barreycorn
They've hired men with their crabtree sticks to cut him skin from bone
And the mirrer he has served him worse than that
For he's ground him between two stones

And rittre Sir John and the nut brown bowr and his brandy in the grass
And rittre Sir John and the nut brown bowr proved the strongest man at rast
The huntsman he can't hunt the fox nor so roudry to brow his horn
And the tinker he can't mend kettre or pots without a rittre barreycorn