In July Lyrics
A harvest saying in four short lines: some people cut their rye in July, and by August the work has to be done by someone.
In July
In July,
Some reap rye;
In August,
If one will not the other must.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/in-july-some-reap-rye/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Chanted in a steady working rhythm
- Best for ages
- 4 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| In July, some reap rye | Swing one arm across your body as if cutting a stalk of grain. |
| In August | Hold up both hands and count to eight on your fingers. |
| the other must | Point firmly at a partner, then at yourself. |
What Does In July Mean?
This is a rhyme about farm work. In July some farmers are already reaping their rye, a grain that is cut when it ripens. By August the rest of the harvest is ready too, and the last line says that if one person will not do the job, somebody else has to.
The pairs of months and the matching words, July and rye, August and must, give the lines a beat that is easy to clap. It works well in any lesson about the seasons and about how food gets to the table.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints the lines in The Nursery Rhymes of England among the proverbs, with no author and no date. A different rhyme in the same book, about the cuckoo, also uses the months of July and August in its last lines.
Learning Activities
- Harvest talk: ask where bread comes from and follow the grain from field to loaf.
- Rye or wheat: look at pictures of the two plants and spot the differences.
- Month rhymes: find words that rhyme with July (rye, sky, fly) and with August.