9 The first good town that they passed thro,
They made their bells to ring;
The next good town that they passed thro,
They made their music sing.
10 The next gude town that they passed thro,
They made their drums beat round,
The king and a' his gay armies
Admiring at the sound.
11 When they came to the king's court,
They travelled round about,
And there he spied his own true-love,
At a window looking out.
12 'O fain wald I come down,' she says,
'Of that ye needna dout;
But my garters they're of cauld, cauld iron,
And I can no win out.
13 'My garters they're of cauld, cauld iron,
And it is very cold;
My breast-plate is of sturdy steel,
Instead o beaten gold.'
14 Out and spoke the king himsell,
And an angry man was he:
The fairest lady in a' my court,
She goes with child to thee.
15 'If your old doughter be with child,
As I trew weel she be,
I'le make it heir of a' my land,
And her my gay lady.'
16 'There is a Talliant in my court,
This day he's killed three;
And gin the morn by ten o'clock
He'll kill thy men and thee.'
17 Johnie took sword into his hand,
And walked cross the plain;
There was many a weeping lady there,
To see young Johnie slain.
18 The Talliant never knowing this,
Now he'll be Johnie's dead,
But, like unto a swallow swift,
He flew out owre his head.