AS YOU LIKE IT

by William Shakespeare

SCENE II. Another part of the Forest

Enter Jaques and Lords, like foresters.

JAQUES.
Which is he that killed the deer?

FIRST LORD.
Sir, it was I.

JAQUES.
Let’s present him to the Duke, like a Roman conqueror, and it would do well to set the deer’s horns upon his head for a branch of victory. Have you no song, forester, for this purpose?

SECOND LORD.
Yes, sir.

JAQUES.
Sing it. ’Tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough.

SONG

SECOND LORD.
[Sings.]
What shall he have that killed the deer?
        His leather skin and horns to wear.
                  Then sing him home:
  [The rest shall bear this burden.]
            Take thou no scorn to wear the horn.
            It was a crest ere thou wast born.
                  Thy father’s father wore it
                  And thy father bore it.
            The horn, the horn, the lusty horn
            Is not a thing to laugh to scorn.