The Farmer's Boy facts for kids

"The Farmer's Boy" is a well-known traditional English folk song. It is also called a ballad, which is a song that tells a story. This song is listed as number 408 in the Roud Folk Song Index, a huge collection of folk songs. Sometimes, the tune of "The Farmer's Boy" is even used for a military march.

The Story of the Song

This song tells a heartwarming story about a young boy. One cold winter evening, the sun had already set. A tired and limping boy arrived at a farmer's door. He was looking for work.

The boy explained that his father had died. His mother was left with five children, and he was the oldest. Even though he was small, he promised to work very hard. He wanted to "plough and sow, and reap and mow," which means doing all the farm work.

He asked the farmer for a job. If the farmer could not hire him, he just asked for a place to stay until morning. He promised to leave at daybreak to find work somewhere else.

A Kind Offer

The farmer's wife heard the boy's plea. She told her husband to give the boy a chance. The farmer's daughter also begged her father to help. Tears ran down her face as she spoke. She said it was sad for someone to want to work but have no food. She asked her father not to send the boy away.

The farmer listened to his wife and daughter. He decided to let the boy stay and work on the farm.

A Happy Ending

Years passed, and the young boy grew into a man. The kind old farmer eventually passed away. He left his farm to the young man. The farmer also left his daughter to be the young man's bride.

So, the boy who once had nothing now owned the farm. He often smiles and remembers that lucky day. It was the day he came to the farmer's door and became "The Farmer's Boy."