"O will ye to the cards, Margaret,
Or to the table to dine?20
Or to the bed, that's weel down spread,
And sleep when we get time."
"I'll no go to the cards," she says,
"Nor to the table to dine;
But I'll go to a bed, that's weel down spread,25
And sleep when we get time."
They were not weel lyen down,
And no weel fa'en asleep,
When up and stood May Margaret's brethren,
Just up at their bed feet.30
"O tell us, tell us, May Margaret,
And dinna to us len,
O wha is aught yon noble steed,
That stands your stable in?
"The steed is mine, and it may be thine,35
To ride whan ye ride in hie—
* * * * * * *
"But awa', awa', my bald brethren,
Awa', and mak nae din;
For I am as sick a lady the nicht
As e'er lay a bower within."40
"O tell us, tell us, May Margaret,
And dinna to us len,
O wha is aught yon noble hawk,
That stands your kitchen in?"
"The hawk is mine, and it may be thine,45
To hawk whan ye hawk in hie——