THE MANCHESTER CORNSTALK
(Trad)

Chorus:
And it's all around the green fields so early in the morn
The merry merry huntsman blows his silver bugled horn

It's of a pub in Manchester where "Cornstalk" was the sign
A public where commercial travellers used to sit and dine
One Christmas eve a traveller, as oft had been his use
Called in to spend his holiday and choose his Christmas goose

He drunk his pint of sherry wine, he smoked his mild cigar
He chatted with the customers and the people at the bar
There was no thought of wickedness e'er entered in his head
Until the chambermaid appeared to light him up to bed

And then he grew so amorous he squeezed her on the stair
He kissed her by the chamber door before he said his prayers
He gave to her a guinea to prevent her being vexed
And then he blew the candle out, you'll have to guess the rest

Next morn this good Luther discharged his little bill
He tipped the boots and tossed the landlord for a parting gill
Where he went to afterwards 'tis not for me to say
Suffice he called to pluck his goose again next Christmas day

Yes, Christmas time came round again, it filled his heart with glee
He'd tramped around from town to town and strange sights did he see
Till he ended up in Manchester and put up for the night
At the "Cornstalk" which twelve months before had found him such delight

He walked into the coffee room as jolly as could be
Where lots of customers like himself were waiting there for tea
He ordered of the very best the landlord could produce
Then he called the waiter back again, says, "Don't forget me goose!"

Right speedily a tray was brought with eatables galore
And by the selfsame chambermaid he'd woofed* twelve months before
Nothing loth he raised the cloth 'neath which the food was piled
Instead of the goose she'd brought to him a big fat bumping child

And as he gazed astonishedly, "What can this mean?" says he
"Come sit you down and calm yourself, I'll tell you, sir" says she
"Last Christmas eve you generous were, nay, do not look so strange
You gave to me a guinea; well, I've brought you back the change"

* misprint for 'wooed'?

This is what Bill Price sings, according to the songsheet. Can anyone explain to me what made this a hunt song?