Young Johnstone

And carefully I'll thee keep

She had not well been at her bower door

No, not for half an hour

When four and twenty belted knights

Come a-riding by the bower

"Well may you sit and see, lady

Well may you sit and say

Did not you see a bloody squire

Come riding by this way?"

"What colour were his hawks?" she says

"What colour were his hounds?

What colour was the gallant steed

That bore him from the bounds?"

"Bloody, bloody were his hawks

And bloody were his hounds

But milk-white was the gallant steed

That bore him from the bounds."

"Yes, bloody, bloody were his hawks

And bloody were his hounds

But milk-white was the gallant steed

That bore him from the bounds."

"Lie down, lie down, now, gentlemen

And take a glass of wine

The steepy swift that he rides on

He's passed the bridge of Aven

We thank you for your bread, lady

We thank you for your wine

But I'd rather thrice three thousand pounds

That that bloody knight was ta'en."

"Lie still, lie still, my dear Johnstone

Lie still and take a sleep

For thy enemies are past and gone

And carefully I'll thee keep."

Young Johnstone had a little wee sword

Hung low down by his gear

And he thrust it in fair on its breast

A deep wound and sore

"What aileth thee now, dear Johnstone

What aileth thee at me?

Have not you got my father's gold

And my mother's fee?"

"Now live, now live, my dear lady

Now live but half an hour

There's not a leech in all Scotland

That shall be at thy bower."

"How can I live? How shall I live?

Young Johnstone, don't you see?

The red, red drops of my heart's blood

Run a-trickling down my knee."

"But take your harp into your hand

And harp out o'er yon plain

And think no more on thy true love

Than if she'd never been."

He had not well been out of the stable

And on his saddle set

When four and twenty broad arrows

Were thrilling in his heart