Seven lang years by land and sea, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; And he’s aften looked how his ring may be, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
One day when he looked this ring upon, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_, The shining diamonds were pale and wan, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
He hoisted sails, and hame cam’ he, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; Hame unto his ain countrie, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
He’s left the sea and he’s come to land, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; And the first he met was an auld beggar-man, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
“What news, what news, my silly auld man? _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; For it’s seven lang years since I saw this land, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.”
“No news, no news,” doth the beggar-man say, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; “But our King’s ae daughter she’s wedded to-day, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.”
“Wilt thou give to me thy begging coat? _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; And I’ll give to thee my scarlet cloak, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
“Give me your auld pike-staff, and hat, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; And ye sall be right weel paid for that, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.”
The auld beggar-man cast off his coat, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_, And he’s ta’en up the scarlet cloak, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
He’s gi’en him his auld pike-staff and hat, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; And he was right weel paid for that, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
The auld beggar-man was bound for the mill, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; But Young Hynd Horn for the King’s ain hall, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
When he came to the King’s ain gate, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_, He asked a drink for Young Hynd Horn’s sake, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
These news unto the bonny bride cam’, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_, That at the gate there stands an auld man, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.
There stands an auld man at the King’s gate, _With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan_; He asketh a drink for Young Hynd Horn’s sake, _And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie_.