When the tanner he was in the king's saddle,
And his foot in the stirrup was;
He marvelled greatly in his mind,
Whether it were gold or brass.
But when his steed saw the cow's tail wag,
And eke the black cow-horn;
He stamped, and stared, and away he ran,
As the devil had him borne.
The tanner he pulled, the tanner he sweat,
And held by the pummel fast,
At length the tanner came tumbling down;
His neck he had well-nigh brast.[93]
Take thy horse again with a vengeance, he said,
With me he shall not bide.
My horse would have borne thee well enough,
But he knew not of thy cow-hide.
Yet if again thou fain wouldst change,
As change full well may we,
By the faith of my body, thou jolly tannèr,
I will have some boot of thee.
What boot wilt thou have, the tanner replied,
Now tell me in this stound?[94]
No pence, nor half-pence, sir, by my faith,
But I will have twenty pound.
KING EDWARD IV. AND THE TANNER OF TAMWORTH.