32 'O, if ye knew my mother,' he said,
'That's very strange to me;
And if that ye my mother knew,
It's mair than I coud dee.'
33 'Sae well as I your mother knew,
Ance my sweet-heart was she;
Because to me she broke her vow,
This maid was slain by me.'
34 'O, if ye slew my mother dear,
As I trust ye make nae lie,
I wyte ye never did the deed
That better paid shall be.'
35 'O mercy, mercy, little Robin,
O mercy hae on me!'
'Sic mercy as ye pae my mother,
Sic mercy I'll gie thee.
36 'Prepare yourself, perfidious man,
For by my hand ye 'se dee;
Now come's that bluidy butcher's end
Took my mother frae me.'
37 Then he hae chosen a sharp arrow,
That was baith keen and smart,
And let it fly at Hynde Henry,
And piercd him to the heart.
38 These news hae gaen thro Stirling town,
Likewise thro Hunting-ha;
At last it reachd the king's own court,
Amang the nobles a'.
39 When the king got word o that,
A light laugh then gae he,
And he's sent for him little Robin,
To come right speedilie.
40 He's putten on little Robin's head
A ribbon and gowden crown,
And made him ane o's finest knights,
For the valour he had done.