Part 1 / Book 2 — 35. Hynd Horn

I Hynd Horn’s bound, love, and Hynd Horn’s free, With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan; Where was ye born, or in what countrie? And the birk and the broom blows bonnie. II ‘In good greenwood, there I was born, And all my forbears me beforn. III ‘O seven long years I served the King, And as for wages I never gat nane; IV ‘But ae sight o’ his ae daughter. And that was thro’ an auger-bore.’ V Seven long years he served the King, And it’s a’ for the sake of his daughter Jean. VI The King an angry man was he; He sent young Hynd Horn to the sea. VII He’s gi’en his luve a silver wand Wi’ seven silver laverocks[255] sittin’ thereon. VIII She’s gi’en to him a gay gold ring Wi’ seven bright diamonds set therein. IX ‘As lang’s these diamonds keep their hue, Ye’ll know I am a lover true: X ‘But when the ring turns pale and wan, Ye may ken that I love anither man.’ XI He hoist up sails and awa’ sail’d he Till that he came to a foreign countrie. XII One day as he look’d his ring upon, He saw the diamonds pale and wan. XIII He’s left the seas and he’s come to the land, And the first that he met was an auld beggar man. XIV ‘What news, what news? thou auld beggar man, For it’s seven years sin I’ve seen land.’ XV ‘No news,’ said the beggar, ‘no news at a’, But there is a wedding in the King’s ha’. XVI ‘But there is a wedding in the King’s ha’ That has halden these forty days and twa.’ XVII ‘Cast off, cast off thy auld beggar weed[256], And I’ll gi’e thee my gude grey steed: XVIII ‘And lend to me your wig o’ hair To cover mine, because it is fair.’— XIX ‘My begging weed is na for thee, Your riding steed is na for me.’ XX But part by right and part by wrang Hynd Horn has changed wi’ the beggar man. XXI The auld beggar man was bound for to ride, But young Hynd Horn was bound for the bride. XXII When he came to the King’s gate, He sought a drink for Hynd Horn’s sake. XXIII The bride came trippin’ down the stair, Wi’ the scales o’ red gowd in her hair; XXIV Wi’ a cup o’ the red wine in her hand, And that she gae to the auld beggar man. XXV Out o’ the cup he drank the wine, And into the cup he dropt the ring. XXVI ‘O got ye this by sea or land? Or got ye it of a dead man’s hand?’— XXVII ‘I got it na by sea nor land, But I got it, madam, of your own hand.’ XXVIII ‘O, I’ll cast off my gowns o’ brown, And beg with you frae town to town. XXIX ‘O, I’ll cast off my gowns o’ red, And I’ll beg wi’ you to win my bread. XXX ‘O I’ll take the scales o’ gowd frae my hair, And I’ll follow you for evermair.’ XXXI She has cast awa’ the brown and the red, And she’s follow’d him to beg her bread. XXXII She has ta’en the scales o’ gowd frae her hair And she’s follow’d him for evermair. XXXIII But atween the kitchen and the ha’ He has let his cloutie[257] cloak down fa’. XXXIV And the red gowd shinèd over him a’, With a hey lillelu, and a how lo lan; And the bride frae the bridegroom was stown[258] awa’, And the birk and the broom blows bonnie.