Upon a time it chancèd so
Bold Robin in forrest did spy
A jolly butchèr, with a bonny fine mare,
With his flesh to the market did hye.
III
‘Good morrow, good fellow!’ said jolly Robìn,
‘What food hast? tell unto me;
And thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell,
For I like well thy company.’
IV
The butcher he answered jolly Robin:
‘No matter where I dwell;
For a butcher I am, and to Notingham
I am going, my flesh to sell.’
V
‘What price thy flesh?’ said jolly Robìn,
‘Come, tell it soon unto me;
And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear,
For a butcher fain would I be.’
VI
‘The price of my flesh,’ the butcher repli’d,
‘I soon will tell unto thee;
With my bonny mare, and they are not dear,
Four mark thou must give unto me.’