As You Like It, Act 4, Scene 2

Jaques

Which is he that killed the deer?

Which of you killed the deer?

First Lord

Sir, it was I.

Sir, I did.

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?

Let’s present him to the Duke like a victorious Roman general. It would be fitting to put the deer’s antlers on his head as a wreath of victory. Don’t you have a song for the occasion, hunter?

Second Lord

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Jaques

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

Sing it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in tune, as long as it makes enough noise.

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 itAnd thy father bore it.The horn, the horn, the lusty hornIs not a thing to laugh to scorn.

What should the man who killed the deer receive?
Its hide and antlers to wear.
Then sing him home.
[The others join in with this chorus.]
Don’t be ashamed to wear the horns of a cheated husband.
They were a badge of honor before you were born.
Your grandfather wore them,
And your father wore them too.
The horn, the horn, the lusty horn
Is nothing to mock or laugh at.