2
She scarsely pulled a rose, a rose,
She scarse pulled two or three,
Till up there starts Thomas
On the Lady Margaret's knee.
3
She's taen her petticoat by the band,
Her mantle owre her arm,
And Lady Margaret's gane hame agen,
As fast as she could run.
4
Up starts Lady Margaret's sister,
An angry woman was she:
'If there ever was a woman wi child,
Margaret, you are wi!'
5
Up starts Lady Margaret's mother,
An angry woman was she:
'There grows ane herb in yon kirk-yard
That will scathe the babe away.'
6
She took her petticoats by the band,
Her mantle owre her arm,
And she's gane to yon kirk-yard
As fast as she could run.
7
She scarcely pulled an herb, an herb,
She scarse pulled two or three,
Till up starts there Thomas
Upon this Lady Margret's knee.
8
'How dare ye pull a rose?' he says,
'How dare ye break the tree?
How dare ye pull this herb,' he says,
'To scathe my babe away?
9
'This night is Halloweve,' he said,
'Our court is going to waste,
And them that loves their true-love best
At Chester bridge they'll meet.
10
'First let pass the black,' he says,
'And then let pass the brown,
But when ye meet the milk-white steed,
Pull ye the rider down.
11
'They'll turn me to an eagle,' he says,
'And then into an ass;
Come, hold me fast, and fear me not,
The man that you love best.