Francis James Child

“ The liver bot and the tongue.
They eat of the flesh, and they drank of the blood,
And the blood it was so sweet,
Which caused Johny and his bloody hounds
To fall in a deep sleep.
By then came an old palmer,
And an ill death may he die!
For he's away to Pickram Side,
As fast as he can drie.
'What news, what news?' says the Seven Forsters,
'What news have ye brought to me?'
'I have noe news,' the palmer said,
'But what I saw with my eye.
'High up i Bradyslee, low down i Bradisslee,
And under a buss of scroggs,
O there I spied a well-wight man,
Sleeping among his dogs. ”

“ You being seven sturdy men,
And I but a man my lane.
'Now fail me not, my ten fingers,
That are both long and small!
Now fail me not, my noble heart!
For in thee I trust for all.
'Now fail me not, my good bend bow,
That was in London coft!
Now fail me not, my golden string,
Which my true lover wrocht!'
* * * *
He has tossed him up, he has tossed him doun,
He has broken his collar-bone ”

“ Will gang the morn to Johnnie's castle,
See how the cause may be.'
Then he's calld Johnnie up to court,
Treated him handsomelie,
And now to hunt in the Bride's Braidmuir,
For life has license free. ”