2 Johnny Cock has gotten word of this, And he is wondrous keen; Heś custan off the red scarlet, And on the Linkum green. 3 And he is ridden oer muir and muss, And over mountains high, Till he came to yon wan water, And there Johnny Cock did lie. 4 They have ridden oer muir and muss, And over mountains high, Till they met wi’ an old palmer, Was walking along the way. 5 ‘What news, what news, old palmer? What news have you to me?’ ‘Yonder is one of the proudest wed sons That ever my eyes did see.’ * * * * * 6 He’s taen out a horn from his side, And he blew both loud and shrill, Till a’ the fifteen foresters Heard Johnny Cock blaw his horn. 7 They have sworn a bluidy oath, And they swore all in one, That there was not a man among them a’ Would blaw such a blast as yon. 8 And they have ridden oer muir and muss, And over mountains high, Till they came to yon wan water, Where Johnny Cock did lie. 9 They have shotten little Johnny Cock, A little above the ee: . . . . . . . ‘For doing the like to me. 10 ‘There’s not a wolf in a’ the wood Woud ’ ha’ done the like to me; ‘She’d ha’ dipped her foot in coll water, And strinkled above my ee, And if I would not have waked for that, ‘She’d ha’ gane and let me be. 11 ‘But fingers five, come here, [come here,] And faint heart fail me nought, And silver strings, value me sma things, Till I get all this vengeance rowght!’ 12 He ha[s] shot a’ the fifteen foresters, Left never a one but one, And he broke the ribs a that ane’s side, And let him take tiding home. 13 ‘... a bird in a’ the wood Could sing as I could say, It would go in to my mother’s bower, And bid her kiss me, and take me away.’ C Pieces of Ancient Poetry from Unpublished Manuscripts and Scarce Books, Bristol, 1814, p. 51. 1 Johnny Cock, in a May morning, Sought water to wash his hands, And he is awa to louse his dogs, That’s tied wi iron bans. That’s tied wi iron bans 2 His coat it is of the light Lincum green, And his breiks are of the same; His shoes are of the American leather, Silver buckles tying them. 3 ‘He’ hunted up, and so did ‘he’ down, Till ‘he’ came to yon bush of scrogs, And then to yon wan water, Where he slept among his dogs. * * * * * 4 Johnny Cock out-shot a’ the foresters, And out-shot a the three; Out shot a’ the foresters, Wounded Johnny aboun the bree. 5 ‘Woe be to you, foresters, And an ill death may you die! For there would not a wolf in a’ the wood Have done the like to me. 6 ‘For’ ’twould ha’ put its foot in the coll water And ha strinkled it on my bree, And gin that would not have done, Would have gane and lett me be.