2
I forbid ye, maidens a',
That wears gowd in your green,
To come or gang by Carterhaugh,
For fear of young Tam Lane.
3
'Go saddle for me the black,' says Janet,
'Go saddle for me the brown,
And I'll away to Carterhaugh,
And flower mysell the gown.
4
'Go saddle for me the brown,' says Janet,
'Go saddle for me the black,
And I'll away to Carterhaugh,
And flower mysel a hat.'
* * * * *
5
She had not pulld a flowr, a flowr,
A flower but only three,
Till up there startit young Tam Lane,
Just at bird Janet's knee.
6
'Why pullst thou the herb, Janet,
And why breaks thou the tree?
Why put you back the bonny babe
That's between you and me?'
7
'If my child was to an earthly man,
As it is to a wild buck rae,
I would wake him the length of the winter's night,
And the lea lang simmer's day.'
8
'The night is Halloween, Janet,
When our gude neighbours will ride,
And them that would their true-love won
At Blackning Cross maun bide.
9
'Many will the black ride by,
And many will the brown,
But I ride on a milk-white steed,
And ride nearest the town:
Because I was a christened knight
They gie me that renown.
10
'Many will the black ride by,
But far mae will the brown;
But when ye see the milk-white stead,
Grip fast and pull me down.