"If there be a knight in gude greenwood
Ye like better than me,
If ance he come your bower within,
Ane o' us twa shall dee."
She set a horn to her mouth,185
And she blew loud and shrill!
Thro' stock and stane and the hawthorn,
Brave Roger came her till.
"Wha's here sae bauld," the youth replied,
"Thus to encroach on me?"190
"O here I am," the knight replied,
"Ha'e as much right as thee."
Then they fought up the gude greenwood,
Sae did they down the plain;
They niddart ither wi' lang braid swords,195
Till they were bleedy men.
Then out it spak the sick woman,
Sat under the greenwood tree;
"O had your han', young man," she said,
"She's a woman as well as me."200
Then out it speaks anither youth,
Amang the companie;
"Gin I had kent what I ken now,
'Tis for her I wou'd dee."
"O wae mat worth you, Rose the Red,205
An ill death mat ye dee!
Altho' ye tauld upo' yoursell,
Ye might ha'e heal'd on me.
"O for her sake I was content
For to gae ower the sea;210
For her I left my mither's ha',
Tho' she proves fause to me."
But whan these luvers were made known,
They sung right joyfullie;
Nae blyther was the nightingale,215
Nor bird that sat on tree.
Now they ha'e married these ladies,
Brought them to bower and ha',
And now a happy life they lead,
I wish sae may we a'.