Then aye he harpit, and aye he carpit[1259],
Till a’ the lordlings footed the floor;
They thought the music was sae sweet,
They had nae mind o’ the stable door.
VIII
And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till a’ the nobles were fast asleep;
Then quietly he took aff his shoon,
And saftly down the stair did creep.
IX
Syne to the stable door he hied,
Wi’ tread as light as light could be;
And when he open’d and gaed in,
There he fand thirty steeds and three.
X
He took a colt halter frae his hose,
And o’ his purpose he didna fail;
He slipt it owre the Wanton’s nose,
And tied it to his gray mare’s tail.
XI
He turn’d them loose at the castle gate,
Owre muir and moss and ilka dale;
And she ne’er let the Wanton bait,
But kept him still gaun to her tail.