The Boys Who Played At Slaughter

Come gather round friends, to me pay attention
Stop me if you've heard this before
I'll sing of a tale of a jolly bold farmer
With a wife, 3 bairns and full store

This farmer it being a good day for market
Took a pig from out of the yard
While his two boys were playing and watching
Slaughtered that pig, while blood stained the ground

So off he went to sell that fine piggy
While his two boys stood there so amazed
Said the eldest too the younger
"Shall we play at this game instead?"

So the eldest he picked up that sharp butcher's cleaver
The youngest put his head on the block
Mother upstairs bathing the baby
Looked outside and got quite a shock

She was bathing their 3 month old baby
Making sure that she got right clean
Ran outside to stop the horror
Giving out such a terrible scream

The eldest heard such a terrible sound
Cleaver fell from out of his hand
Caught his brother, wounded him cruelly
And his life's blood stained the sand

The eldest screamed and clutched at his brother
Making such a gory scene
Mother in anger picked up the cleaver
Gave a blow that you never did see

The baby's upstairs giggling happily
But all is not quite as it seems
Head dipped below the water
'Till it was all that she did breathe

The mother looked round at such destruction
Felt from life she had to be free
Grabbed a rope from out of the garden
Soon after she swung from a tree

The farmer came home, whistling happily
Sold the pig for five hundred pounds
Looked around and saw the horror
Sadness put him right in the ground

Well, some do go this way, some do go that way
Some do go where ever they please
If you want to be a pig farmer
Just give up, and go an make cheese