Francis James Child

“ She never loot Wanton licht till she
Was at Lochmaben, at her foal.
And she came oer Lochmaben heights,
Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,
And waukend the silly poor harper's wife,
As she was a sleeping at her ease. ”

“ Put a' the nobles in a fear;
King Henerie's Wanton Brown was stown,
And Oh! the silly poor harper's mear.
Out then spak the silly poor harper,
Says, Oh, this loos I douna thole!
In England fair a guid grey mear,
In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.
'Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,
And wi your carping let me be;
Here's ten pounds for your auld gray mear,
And a weel paid foal it's be to thee!'
And O the silly poor harper's wife,
She's aye first up in Lochmaben toun;
She's stealing the corn and stealing the hay,
And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun. ”

“ And of thy harping let me hear;'
'O, by my sooth,' quo the silly blind harper,
'I'd rather hae stabling for my mare.'
The king he looks oer his left shoulder,
And says unto his stable-groom,
Gae tak the silly poor harper's mare,
And tie her side my Wanton Brown. ”