31 And ever he sighed and made moan, And cried out pittifully, ‘My father is the Lord of Lorn, And knows not wha[t]’s become of me.’ 32 And then bespake the lady gay, And to her maid she spake anon, ‘Go fetch me hither the shepherd’s boy; Why maketh he all this moan?’ 33 But when he came before the lady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . He was not to learn his courtesie: 34 ‘Where was thou born, thou bonny child? For whose sake makst thou all this mone?’ ‘My dearest friend, lady,’ he said, ‘Is dead many years agon.’ 35 ‘Tell thou to me, thou bonny child, Tell me the truth and do not lye, Knost thou not the yong lord of Lorn, Is come a wooing unto me?’ 36 ‘Yes, forsooth,’ then said the child, ‘I know the lord then, veryly; The young lord is a valliant lord At home in his own country.’ 37 ‘Wilt leave thy sheep, thou bonny child, And come in service unto me?’ ‘Yes, forsooth,’ then said the child, ‘At your bidding will I be.’ 38 When the steward lookt upon the child, He bewraild him villainously: ‘Where wast thou born, thou vagabone? Or where is thy country?’ 39 ‘Ha don! ha don!’ said the lady gay, She cal’d the steward then presently; ‘Without you bear him more good will, You get no love of me.’ 40 Then bespake the false steward Unto the lady hastily: ‘At Aberdine, beyond the seas, His father robbëd thousands three.’ 41 But then bespake the lady gay Unto her father courteously, Saying, I have found a bonny child My chamberlain to be. 42 ‘Not so, not so,’ then said the duke, ‘For so it may not be, For that young L[ord] of Lorn that comes a wooing Will think somthing of thee and me.’ 43 When the duke had lookt upon the child, He seemd so pleasant to the eye, ‘Child, because thou lovst horses well, My groom of stables thou shalt be.’ 44 The child plied the horses well A twelve month to an end; He was so courteous and so true Every man became his fri[e]nd. 45 He led a fair gelding to the water, Where he might drink, verily; The great gelding up with his head And hit the child above the eye. 46 ‘Wo worth thee, horse!’ then said the child, ‘That ere mare foalëd thee! Thou little knowst what thou hast done; Thou hast stricken a lord of high degree.’ 47 The d[uke’s] daughter was in her garden green, She heard the child make great moan; She ran to the child all weeping, And left her maidens all alone. 48 ‘Sing on thy song, thou bonny child, I will release thee of thy pain;’ ‘I have made an oath, lady,’ he said, ‘I dare not tell my tale again.’