Graham Irwin - The Ploughboy's Dream - with lyrics in the description

Graham Irwin sings The Ploughboy's Dream accompanied on electro-acoustic guitar with added distortion. This is a supernatural ballad, a traditional English folk song. It was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in Surrey in 1903, and by George Gardiner in Hampshire in 1907. The song is a warning to farm workers to refrain from swearing, and not to mistreat their employers' animals. Image: View near Epernon by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1850/60, courtesy NGA LYRICS: I am a ploughboy stout and strong as ever drove a team, And three years since as I lay abed I had a dreadful dream I dreamt I drove my master's team, three horses travelled far Before a stiff and armoured plough as all my master's are. I found the ground was baked so hard, 'twas more like bricks than clay I could not cut my furrow through, nor would my beasts obey The more I whipped and slashed and swore, the less my horses tried Dobbin lay down and Belle and Star ignored my threats and cries. Till lo! above me appeared a youth, he seemed to hang in air And all around a dazzling light which made my eyes to stare "Give over, cruel wretch," he cried, "Do not thy beasts abuse Think if the ground was not so hard, they would their work refuse? "Besides I heard thee curse and swear as if dumb beasts could know Just watch thy oaths and cursing meant; it's better far than gold That you should know that there is one who knows thy sins full well And what shall be thy after doom another shall thee tell." No more he said but, light as air, he vanished from my sight And with him went the sun's bright beams 'twas all as dark as night Then thunder roared from underground, the earth it seemed agape Blue flames broke forth and in those flames appeared an awful shape. "I soon shall call thee mine," he cried with a voice so clear and deep And quivering like an aspen leaf, I woke out of my sleep So ponder well, you ploughboys all, this dream that I have told And if the work goes well with you it's worth your weight in gold.