Syne they came to a garden green, And she pu'd an apple frae a tree-- "Take this for thy wages, True Thomas; It will give thee the tongue that can never lie!"
"My tongue is my ain!" True Thomas he said, "A gudely gift ye wad gie to me! I neither douglit to buy nor sell, At fair or tryste where I may be.
"I dought neither speak to prince nor peer, Nor ask for grace from fair ladye!" "Now hauld thy tongue, Thomas!" she said "For as I say, so must it be."
He has gotten a coat of the even claith, And a pair o' shoon of the velvet green; And till seven years were come and gane, True Thomas on earth was never seen.
The Elfin knight stands on yon hill; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Blawing his horn baith loud and shrill, (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"If I had the horn that I hear blawn, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) And the bonnie knight that blaws the horn!" (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
She had na sooner thae words said; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Than the Elfin knight cam' to her side: (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"Thou art too young a maid," quoth he, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) "Married wi' me you ill wad be." (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"I hae a sister younger than me; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) And she was married yesterday." (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"Married to me ye shall be nane; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Till ye mak' me a sark without a seam; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun shape it, knifeless, sheerless, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) And ye maun sew it, needle-threedless; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun wash it within a well, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Whaur dew never wat, nor rain ever fell, (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun dry it upon a thorn, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) That never budded sin' Adam was born." (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"O gin that kindness I do for thee; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) There's something ye maun do for me. (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"I hae an acre o' gude lea-land, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Between the saut sea and the strand; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)