Original
Modern English
Which is he that killed the deer?
Which one of you killed the deer?
Sir, it was I.
Sir, it was me.
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?
Let’s present him to the duke, like a Roman conqueror; and it would be good to put the deer’s antlers on his head, as a symbol of victory. Don’t you have a song, forester, for this occasion?
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
Sing it: ’tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough. SONG.
Sing it: it doesn’t matter if it’s out of tune, as long as it makes enough noise. SONG.
What shall he have that kill’d the deer? His leather skin and horns to wear. Then sing him home;
What does the person get who kills the deer? He gets to wear its leather and horns. Then let’s sing him back home;
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.
Don’t be ashamed to wear the horn; It was a symbol of honor even before you were born: Your grandfather wore it, And your father wore it: The horn, the horn, the strong horn Is not something to be made fun of.