YOUNG MAN WHO WOULDN'T RAISE CORN
(traditional)

Come all young ladies, and listen to my song,
I'll tell you about a young man who wouldn't raise corn.
The reason why, I cannot tell--
This young man was always well.

In the month of June, he planted his corn.
In July, he laid it by.
In October, there came a frost,
So, the seed of his corn this young man lost.

He goeth down and he peepeth in,
The weeds and the grass grew up to his chin!
The weeds and the grass, they grew so high,
Caused this young man for to cry.

He goeth down to his near neighbor's land,
Going a-courting, as I understand.
Going a-courting, and, sure as you're born:
"Kind sir, have you wed your corn?"

"Well, yes, my dear!" he did reply,
"Yes, my dear, I've laid it by,
But it ain't worthwile to strive in vain--
I don't believe in my soul it's gonna raise one grain!"

"Well, a healthy young man that won't raise corn
Is the laziest man that ever was born!
Single I am, single I'll remain,
But a lazy man I won't maintain!"

This is--excepting the first verse--off Atwater-Donnelly's wonderful CD, "And Then I'm Going Home". On the CD (it's a live CD) Aubrey Atwater mentions that it's learned from Jean Ritchie. On Jean Ritchie's website, there is a sample of the first verse and it has the line "come all young ladies" instead of Atwater-Donnelly's "come all young people". I think this may be due to gender neutralization.
X.X.