JOHN_BARLEYCORN_TRADITIONAL JOHN BARLEYCORN TRADITIONAL 1.There were three men coming out of the west, their fortunes for to try, and these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn should die. They ploughed him in, they harrowed him in, threw clods all over his head. And these three men they swore and vowed: John Barleycorn was dead. 2. They let him lie for a very long time, till rain from heaven did fall. And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all. They let him stand till midsummer's day, he looked both pale and wan. And little Sir John's grown a long long beard and so became a man. 3. They hired men with the scythes so sharp to cut him off at knee. They rolled him and tied him 'round the waist and served him barbarously. Then they sent men with pitchforks strong to pierce him through the heart. And the loader served him worse than that for he's bound him to a cart. 4. They hired men with crab-tree sticks to cut him skin from bone, the miller served him worse than that and ground him between two stones. And little Sir John and the dark brown bowl and he's brandy in the glass, and little Sir John and the dark brown bowl grew the strongest man at last.