"What news? what news, my puir auld man?
What news hae ye got to tell to me?"
"Na news, na news," the puir man did say,
"But this is our queen's wedding-day."
"Ye'll lend me your begging-weed,
And I'll lend you my riding-steed."
"My begging-weed is na for thee,
Your riding-steed is na for me."
He has changed wi the puir auld beggar-man.
"What is the way that ye use to gae?
And what are the words that ye beg wi?"
"Whan ye come to yon high hill,
Ye'll draw your bent bow nigh until.
"Whan ye come to yon town-end,
Ye'll lat your bent bow low fall doun.
"Ye'll seek meat for St Peter, ask for St Paul,
And seek for the sake of your Hynde Horn all.
"But tak ye frae nane o them aw
Till ye get frae the bonnie bride hersel O."
Whan he cam to yon high hill,
He drew his bent bow nigh until.