Hynde Horn
"Oh, it's Hynde Horn fair, and it's Hynde Horn free;
Oh, where were you born, and in what countrie?"
"In a far distant countrie I was born;
But of home and friends I am quite forlorn."
Oh, it's seven long years he served the king,
But wages from him he ne'er got a thing:
Oh, it's seven long years he served, I ween,
And all for love of the king's daughter Jean.
Oh, he gave to his love a silver wand,
Her sceptre of rule over fair Scotland;
With three singing laverocks set thereon,
For to mind her of him when he was gone.
And his love gave to him a gay gold ring,
With three shining diamonds set therein;
Oh, his love gave to him this gay gold ring,
Of virtue and value above all thing;
Saying—"While the diamonds do keep their hue,
You will know that my love holds fast and true;
But when the diamonds grow pale and wan,
I'll be dead, or wed to another man."
Then the sails were spread, and away sail'd he;
Oh, he sail'd away to a far countrie;
And when he had been seven years to sea,
Hynde Horn look'd to see how his ring might be.
But when Hynde Horn look'd the diamonds upon,
Oh, he saw that they were both pale and wan;
And at once he knew, from their alter'd hue,
That his love was dead or had proved untrue.
Oh, the sails were spread, and away sail'd he
Back over the sea to his own countrie;
Then he left the ship when it came to land,
And he met an auld beggar upon the strand.
"What news, thou auld beggar man?" said he;
"For full seven years I've been over the sea."
Then the auld man said—"The strangest of all
Is the curious wedding in our king's hall.
"For there's a king's daughter, came frae the wast,
Has been married to him these nine days past;
But unto him a wife the bride winna be,
For love of Hynde Horn, far over the sea."