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was a troop of merry gentlemen
Was riding atween twa knows, And they heard the voice of a bonny lass, In a bught milking her ews. There's ane o them lighted frae off his steed, And has ty'd him to a tree, And he's gane away to yon ew-bught, To hear what it might be. 'O pity me, fair maid,' he said, 'Take pity upon me; O pity me, and my milk-white steed That's trembling at yon tree.' 'As for your steed, he shall not want The best of corn and hay; But as to you yoursel, kind sir, I've naething for to say.' He's taen her by the milk-white hand, And by the green gown-sleeve, And he as led her into the ew-bught, Of her friends he speerd nae leave. He as put his hand in his pocket, And given her guineas three: 'If I dinna come back in half a year, Then luke nae mair for me. 'Now show to me the king's hie street, Now show to me the way; Now show to me the king's hie street, And the fair water of Tay.' She showd to him the king's hie street, She showd to him the way; She showd him the way that he was to go, By the fair water of Tay. When she came home, her father said, 'Come, tell to me right plain; I doubt you've met some in the way, You have not been your lain.' 'The night it is baith mist and mirk, You may gan out and see; The night is mirk and misty too, There's nae body been wi me. 'There was a tod came to your flock, The like I neer did see; When he spake, he lifted his hat, He had a bonny twinkling eee.' When fifteen weeks were past and gane, Full fifteen weeks and three, Then she began to think it lang For the man wi the twinkling eee. It fell out on a certain day, When she cawd out her father's ky, There was a troop of gentlemen Came merrily riding by. 'Weel may ye sigh and sob,' says ane, 'Weel may you sigh and see; Weel may you sigh, and say, fair maid, Wha's gotten this bairn wi thee?' She turned her sel then quickly about, And thinking meikle shame, 'O no, kind sir, it is na sae, For it has a dad at hame.' 'O hawd your tongue, my bonny lass, Sae loud as I hear you lee! For dinna you mind that summer night I was in the bught wi thee?' He lighted off his milk-white steed, And set this fair maid on; 'Now caw out your ky, good father,' he said, 'She'll neer caw them out again. 'I am the laird of Knottington, I've fifty plows and three; I've gotten now the bonniest lass That is in the hale country.' = = was on an evning sae saft and sae clear A bonny lass was milking the kye, And by came a troup of gentlemen, And rode the bonny lassie by. Then one of them said unto her, 'Bonny lass, prythee shew me the way:' 'O if I do sae, it may breed me wae, For langer I dare nae stay.' * * * * But dark and misty was the night Before the bonny lass came hame: 'Now where hae you been, my ae doughter? I am sure you was nae your lane.' 'O father, a tod has come oer your lamb, A gentleman of high degree, And ay whan he spake he lifted his hat, And bonny, bonny blinkit his ee.' Or eer six months were past and gane, Six months but and other three, The lassie begud for to fret and to frown, And think lang for his blinkin ee. 'O wae be to my father's shepherd, An ill death may he die! He bigged the bughts sae far frae hame, And trysted a gentleman to me!' It fell upon another fair evening The bonny lassie was milking her ky, And by came the troop of Gentlemen, And rode the bonny lassie by. Then one of them stopt, and said to her, 'Whae's aught that baby ye are wi?' That lassie began for to blush, and think, To a father as good as ye. 'O had your tongue, my bonny may, Sae loud I hear you lie! O dinnae you mind the misty night I was in the bught with thee?' Now he's come aff his milk-white steed, And he has taen her hame: 'Now let your father bring hame the ky, You neer mair shall ca them agen. 'I am a lord of castles and towers, With fifty ploughs of land and three, And I have gotten the bonniest lass That is in this countrie.' = = was on a day whan a lovely may Was cawing out her father's kye, And she spied a troop o' gentlemen, As they war passing bye. 'O show me the way, my pretty maid, O show me the way,' said he; 'My steed has just now rode wrong, And the way I canna see.' 'O haud you on the same way,' she said, 'O haud ye on't again, For, if ye haud on the king's hieway, Rank rievers will do ye na harm.' He took her by the milk-white hand, And by the gerss-green sleeve, And he has taiglet wi the fair may, And of her he askd na leave. Whan ance he got her gudwill, Of her he craved na mair, But he poud out a ribbon frae his pouch, And snooded up the may's hair.