Текст песни
There was a harper, an old blind harper
He lived in Lochmaben town
And a wager he laid with Lord and Lady
Steal Henry's wanton brown
There he sat in the pub on an evening
He was drunk and drinking wine
A wager he laid with Lord and Lady
Steal Henry's wanton brown
One of them paid him a house and land
And the other one bet five thousand pound
And how they laughed as the silly blind harper
Ran off to steal the wanton brown!
Up and spoke this harper's wife
And oh, what a wily one was she!
"Go take the mare that's newly foaled
Leave the babe and home with me"
He took his harp all in his hand
He ran playing all round the town
And the King, high in his high window
His ears were touched by all that sound
"Come in, come in now you John Harper
More of your music we would hear"
"Yes, that I will," says John Harper
"But I must have stabling for my mare"
"You go down to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And you can leave a warm and snug one
Next to my own wanton brown"
He's gone down to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And there he spied the stable snug
Where stately stood the wanton brown
And he took out a good strong halter
How the horse come to his call!
As he slipped it o'er the wanton's nose
Tied the end to his mare's tail
And he has played in the King's high hall
And he has played him deep asleep
And he's gone down to his hands and knees
And he crawled into the street
And he's away to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And the court slept as he led out the mare
Tied safe to the wanton brown
"You run through moss, you run through mire
Through many's the bog and the lairy hole
And don't you let this wanton slack
Till you get home to your own foal"