"O tell me this now, good lord John,
And a word ye dinna lie,
How far it is to your lodgin,
Whare we this night maun be?"40
"O see na ye yon castell, Ellen,
That shines sae fair to see?
There is a lady in it, Ellen,
Will sinder you and me.
"There is a lady in that castell45
Will sinder you and I"—
"Betide me weal, betide me wae,
I sall gang there and try."
"My dogs shall eat the good white bread,
And ye shall eat the bran;50
Then will ye sigh, and say, alas!
That ever I was a man!"
"O I shall eat the good white bread,
And your dogs shall eat the bran;
And I hope to live to bless the day,55
That ever ye was a man."
"O my horse shall eat the good white meal,
And ye sall eat the corn;
Then will ye curse the heavy hour
That ever your love was born."60
["O I shall eat the good white meal,]
[And your horse shall eat the corn;]
I ay sall bless the happy hour
That ever my love was born."
O four and twenty gay ladies65
Welcom'd lord John to the ha',
But a fairer lady than them a'
Led his horse to the stable sta.'