The Bards of KeyPoynt — The Reaper Song lyrics

Lyrics

The Reaper walked into a village one day
And knocked on a door without delay
A man answered saying, «What do you need?»
The Reaper smiled and said, «You're coming with me.»
«But wait,» said the man, «I cannot go
For there’s something about me you do not know
I am the village carpenter
I make caskets for all who must be interred
And if you take me who will there be
To make a fine casket for me?»
Who makes a coffin for the coffin maker?
Who makes a stone for the stone maker?
When the Reaper comes, you must ask him, sir
Who digs a grave for the grave digger?
The Reaper frowned and went on his way
To find another soul to take that day
So off to a different home he flew
To the man living there said, «You will do.»
«But you cannot take me,» the man did say,
«For I make the stones that mark the graves
And if you take me there will not be
A mason to mark the grave for me.»
The reaper cursed and spat and swore
And went and knocked on another door
At a lonely cabin where there lived a man
Who came to the door with a shovel in his hand
«I know why you’ve come,» the man did say,
«But I am the digger of the graves
And if you take me there’ll be none around
To lay my body in the ground.»
With a heavy sigh the Reaper went away
To one more home where a woman did stay
«My dear miss, you’re to come with me
For I cannot take any of those three.»
«But wait,» said the woman, «For I must tell
I know those three men very well
And if you will just listen to me
I’ll give you leave to take all three:
«The carpenter is my father and a pitiful bum
Who left me as a child and beat my mum
The mason is my brother and he’s just as bad
As his drinking and gambling and wretched dad
«The grave digger is the worst of the three
For he was the one who married me
We had a home, we had a life
'Til he drank and gambled every night
So Reaper I beg of you to go
Take all three, and this you’ll know
«I'll make a coffin for the coffin maker
I’ll make a stone for the stone maker
Yes, my dear Reaper, you have my word
I’ll dig a grave the grave digger.»