But still his proffer she refused,
And a' his presents too;
Says, "I'm content to live alane
Wi' my bird Coo-my-doo!"
Her father sware an angry oath,
He sware it wi' ill-will:
"To-morrow, ere I eat or drink,
That bird I'll surely kill."
The bird was sitting in his cage,
And heard what he did say;
He jumped upon the window-sill:
"'Tis time I was away."
Then Coo-my-doo took flight and flew
Beyond the raging sea,
And lighted at his mither's castle,
Upon a tower sae hie.
The Queen his mither was walking out,
To see what she could see,
And there she saw her darling son
Set on the tower sae hie.
"Get dancers here to dance," she said,
"And minstrels for to play;
For here's my dear son Florentine
Come back wi' me to stay."
"Get nae dancers to dance, mither,
Nor minstrels for to play;
For the mither o' my seven sons,
The morn's her wedding day."
"Now tell me, dear son Florentine,
O tell, and tell me true;
Tell me this day, without delay,
What sall I do for you?"
"Instead of dancers to dance, mither,
Or minstrels for to play,
Turn four-and-twenty well-wight men,
Like storks, in feathers gray;
"My seven sons in seven swans,
Aboon their heads to flee;
And I myself a gay gos-hawk,
A bird o' high degree."