Wi' bitter usage every day,
The ladies they thought lang;
"Ohon, alas!" said Rose the Red,
"She's gar'd us change our sang.
"But we will change our own fu' names,65
And we'll gang frae the town;
Frae Rose the Red and White Lillie,
To Nicholas and Roger Brown.
"And we will cut our green claithing
A little aboon our knee;70
And we will on to gude greenwood,
Twa bauld bowmen to be."
"Ohon, alas!" said White Lillie,
"My fingers are but sma';
And tho' my hands wou'd wield the bow,75
They winna yield at a'."
"O had your tongue now, White Lillie,
And lat these fears a' be;
There's naething that ye're awkward in
But I will learn thee."80
Then they are on to gude greenwood
As fast as gang cou'd they;
O then they spied him, Robin Hood,
Below a green aik tree.
"Gude day, gude day, kind sir," they said,85
"God make you safe and free."
"Gude day, gude day," said Robin Hood,
"What is your wills wi' me?"
"Lo here we are, twa banish'd knights,
Come frae our native hame;90
We're come to crave o' thee service,
Our king will gie us nane."
"If ye be twa young banish'd knights,
Tell me frae what countrie;"
"Frae Anster town into Fifeshire,95
Ye know it as well as we."
"If a' be true that ye ha'e said,
And tauld just now to me;
Ye're welcome, welcome, every one,
Your master I will be.100