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No. 1 - Opening Chorus
| Chorus: | When the birds begin to sing, Out we go a-harvesting. Folks in town are fast asleep, We must wake, oh, we must wake betimes to reap. |
| Girls: | Bending in the morning heat We must glean the ears of wheat. Now the noontide rest is sweet, We sit and eat. |
| Men: | Resting on the grassy ground, Hand the farmer's cider round! Then to work till all is done At set of sun! |
| All: | When the birds are folding wing, Back we come from harvesting. Folks in town awake may keep, Early toil has early sleep. Early toil has early sleep. |
| Girls: | Under the harvest moon, Golden and great and glowing, She will be rising soon, Lighting our homeward going. |
| All: | Work must be done till then, Fill up and drain your glasses. Then to the reaping men, Back to the gleaning, lasses. Under the harvest moon, Golden and great and glowing, she will be rising soon, She will be rising soon. When the birds begin to sing, Out we go a-harvesting, Folks in town are fast asleep, We must wake betimes to reap, We must wake betimes to reap, We must wake, we must wake. |
| Rube: | This cider's not so strong, As when he once was young, And used to sing a song, Just as it should be sung. |
| Chorus: | Ha, ha, ha, ha, then sing it now, And show us how, Ha, ha, ha, ha! |
| Mummery: | Young Jan he were a harvester, And he loved Betsy Ann, For he was terrible fond of she, And her likewise of Jan. With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do i-do-dum! |
| Chorus: | With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do-dum! |
| Mummery: | Then up says Jan to Betsy Ann, "Regard me not with scorn; You'll never find no finer man At reaping of the corn." With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do i-do-dum! |
| Chorus: | With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do-dum! |
| Mummery: | "If you will reap your corn", said she, "I'll come behind and glean, At harvest time you'll dance with me Upon the village green!" With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do i-do-dum! |
| Chorus: | With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do-dum! So, if you have a sweetheart dear, In harvest go to woo; And if she only gleans an ear, she'll give an ear to you. With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do i-do-dum! With a fal-lal, fol-lol riddle-iddle i-do-dum! |
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Page modified 10 November 2016