Her father sware a solemn oath Amang the nobles all, "The morn, or ere I eat or drink, This bird I will gar kill." The bird was sitting in his cage, And heard what they did say; And when he found they were dismissed, Says, "Wae's me for this day! "Before that I do langer stay, And thus to be forlorn, I'll gang unto my mither's bower, Where I was bred and born." Then Cow-me-doo took flight and flew Beyond the raging sea; And lighted near his mither's castle On a tower o' gowd sae high. As his mither was walking out, To see what she could see, And there she saw her little son Set on the tower sae high. "Get dancers here to dance," she said, "And minstrels for to play; For here's my young son, Florentine, Come here wi' me to stay." "Get nae dancers to dance, mither, Nor minstrels for to play; For the mither o' my seven sons, The morn's her wedding-day." "O tell me, tell me, Florentine, Tell me, tell me true, Tell me this day without a flaw, What I will do for you." "Instead of dancers to dance, mither, Or minstrels for to play, Turn four-and-twenty well-wight men, Like storks, in feathers gray; "My seven sons in seven swans, Aboon their heads to flee; And I, mysel', a gay gos-hawk, A bird o' high degree." Then sighin' said the queen hersel', "That thing's too high for me;" But she applied to an auld woman, Who had mair skill than she. Instead o' dancers to dance a dance, Or minstrels for to play, Four-and-twenty well-wight men Turn'd birds o' feathers gray; Her seven sons in seven swans, Aboon their heads to flee; And he, himsel', a gay gos-hawk, A bird o' high degree. This flock o' birds took flight and flew Beyond the raging sea; And landed near the Earl Mar's castle, Took shelter in every tree. (_well-wight_, picked.) They were a flock o' pretty birds, Right comely to be seen; The people view'd them wi' surprise, As they danc'd on the green. These birds ascended frae the tree, And lighted on the ha'; And at the last wi' force did flee Amang the nobles a'. The storks, there seized some o' the men, They could neither fight nor flee; The swans they bound the bride's best man Below a green aik tree. They lighted next on maidens fair, Then on the bride's own head; And wi' the twinkling o' an eye, The bride and them were fled. There's ancient men at weddings been For sixty years or more; But sic a curious wedding-day They never saw before. For naething could the company do, Nor naething could they say; But they saw a flock o' pretty birds That took their bride away. When that Earl Mar he came to know Where his dochter did stay, He sign'd a bond o' unity And visits now they pay. The Fause Lover