From This I'll drink ye high,
Point I I'll drink ye low,
Don't Know Till the stars run dry
Which Of Of their juices oh!
Them Was I'll drink ye up,
Singing; I'll drink ye down,
And No More Till the old moon's cup
Did They: Is cracked all round,
And the pickled sun
Jumps out of his brine,
And you cry Done!
To the Barley Wine.
Come, boy, sup! Come, fill up!
Here's King's own drink for the King's own cup!
What happened after this I really don't know. For I was not there, though I should like to have been.
I only know that when Martin Pippin stepped out of Gillman's Farm with his lute on his back, Old Gillman was fast asleep on the settle. But Martin had never been wider awake.
It was late in the afternoon. There was no sign of human life anywhere. In their stables the cows were lowing very badly.
"Oh, maids, maids, maids!" sighed Martin Pippin. "Rack and ruin, my dears, rack and ruin!"
And he fetched the milkpails and went into the stalls, and did the milkmaids' business for them. And Joyce's Blossom, and Jennifer's Daisy, and Jessica's Clover stood as still for him as they stand in the shade of the willows on Midsummer Day. And Jane's Nellie whisked her tail over his mouth, but seemed sorry afterwards. And Joscelyn's Lemon kicked the bucket and would not let down her milk till he sang to her, and then she gave in. But little Joan's little Jersey Nancy, with her soft dark eyes, and soft dun sides, and slender legs like a deer's, licked his cheek. And this was Martin's milking-song.
You Milkmaids in the hedgerows,
Get up and milk your kine!
The satin Lords and Ladies
Are all dressed up so fine,
But if you do not skim and churn
How can they dine?
Get up, you idle Milkmaids,
And call in your kine.
You milkmaids in the hedgerows,
You lazy lovely crew,
Get up and churn the buttercups
And skim the milkweed, do!
But the Milkmaids in their country prints
And faces washed with dew,
They laughed at Lords and Ladies
And sang "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"
And if you know their reason
I'm not so wise as you.
When he had done, Martin carried the pails to the dairy and turned his back on Gillman's. For his business there was ended. So he went out at the gate and lifted his face to the Downs.