What shall he have that killed the deer?

General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare

From the play As You Like It.

Settings by composers

• John Stafford Smith — What shall he have that killed the deer?  English ATTB
• John Hilton the younger — What shall he have that killed the deer?  English 4 equal voices

 

Text and translations

English text

What shall he have that killed the deer?
His leathern skin and horns to wear.
The horn, the horn, the lusty horn
Is not a thing to laugh to scorn.
Take you no scorn to wear the horn;
It was a crest ere thou wast born.
Thy father's father bore it,
And thy father wore it.
The horn, the horn, the lusty horn
Is not a thing to laugh to scorn.