"It fell on a summer's afternoon,
"When a' our toilsome task was done,
"We cast the kevils us amang,
"To see which suld to the grene-wood gang.
"O hon! alas, for I was youngest,
"And aye my weird it was the hardest!
"The kevil it on me did fa',
"Whilk was the cause of a' my woe,
"For to the grene-wood I maun gae,
"To pu' the red rose and the slae;
"To pu' the red rose and the thyme,
"To deck my mother's bour and mine.
"I hadna pu'd a flower but ane,
"When by there came a gallant hende,
"Wi' high coll'd hose and laigh coll'd shoon,
"And he seemed to be sum king's son.
"And be I maid, or be I nae,
"He kept me there till the close o' day;
"And be I maid, or be I nane,
"He kept me there till the day was done.
"He gae me a lock o' his yellow hair,
"And bade me keep it ever mair;
"He gae me a carknet[12] o' bonny beads,
"And bade me keep it against my needs.
"He gae to me a gay gold ring,
"And bade me keep it abune a' thing."
"What did ye wi' the tokens rare,
"That ye gat frae that gallant there?"
"O bring that coffer unto me,
"And a' the tokens ye sall see."
"Now stay, daughter, your bour within,
"While I gae parley wi' my son."
O she has ta'en her thro' the ha',
And on her son began to ca';
"What did you wi' the bonny beads,
"I bade ye keep against your needs?
"What did you wi' the gay gold ring,
"I bade ye keep abune a' thing?"
"I gae them to a ladye gay,
"I met in grene-wood on a day.