5 As this I speak of King Henry,
For he lay burd-alane;
And he's doen him to a jelly hunt's ha',
Was far frae ony town.
He chas'd the deer now him before,
10 And the roe down by the den,
Till the fattest buck in a' the flock
King Henry he has slain.
O he has doen him to his ha',
To mak him bierly cheer;
15 And in it cam a grisly ghost,
Staed stappin' i' the fleer.
Her head hat the roof-tree o' the house,
Her middle ye mat weel span;—
He's thrown to her his gay mantle;
20 Says,—"Ladie, hap your lingcan."
Her teeth was a' like leather stakes,
Her nose like club or mell;
And I ken nae thing she 'pear'd to be,
But the fiend that wons in hell.
25 "Some meat, some meat, ye King Henry;
Some meat ye gie to me."
"And what meat's in this house, Ladie?
And what ha'e I to gi'e?"
"Its ye do kill your berry-brown steed,
30 And ye bring him here to me."
O whan he slew his berry-brown steed,
Wow but his heart was sair!
She ate him a' up, flesh and bane,
Left naething but hide and hair.
35 "Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry,
Mair meat ye bring to me."
"And what meat's in this house, Ladie?
And what hae I to gi'e?"
"O ye do kill your good grey hounds,
40 And ye bring them in to me."
O whan he killed his good grey hounds,
Wow but his heart was sair!
She ate them a' up, flesh and bane,
Left naething but hide and hair.