"O I wad ask ye something, father, An' ye wadna angry be!" "Say on, say on, my bonny boy, Ye'se nae be quarrell'd by me."
"My mither's cheeks are aft-times weet, It's seldom they are dry; What is't that gars my mither greet, And sob sae bitterlie?"
"Nae wonder she suld greet, my boy, Nae wonder she suld pine, For it is twelve lang years and mair, She's seen nor kith nor kin, And it is twelve lang years and mair, Since to the kirk she's been.
"Your mither was an Earl's daughter, And cam' o' high degree, And she might hae wedded the first in the land, Had she nae been stown by me.
"For I was but her father's page, And served him on my knee; And yet my love was great for her, And sae was hers for me."
"I'll shoot the laverock i' the lift, The buntin on the tree, And bring them to my mither hames See if she'll merrier be."
It fell upon anither day, This forester thought lang; And he is to the hunting gane The forest leaves amang.
Wi' bow and arrow by his side, He took his path alane; And left his seven young children To bide wi' their mither at hame.
"O I wad ask ye something, mither, An ye wadna angry be." "Ask on, ask on, my eldest son; Ask ony thing at me."
"Your cheeks are aft-times weet, mither; You're greetin', as I can see." "Nae wonder, nae wonder, my little son, Nae wonder though I should dee!
"For I was ance an Earl's daughter, Of noble birth and fame; And now I'm the mither o' seven sons Wha ne'er gat christendame."
He's ta'en his mither by the hand, His six brithers also, And they are on through Elmond-wood As fast as they could go.
They wistna weel wha they were gaen, And weary were their feet; They wistna weel wha they were gaen, Till they stopped at her father's gate.
"I hae nae money in my pocket, But jewel-rings I hae three; I'll gie them to you, my little son, And ye'll enter there for me.
"Ye'll gie the first to the proud porter, And he will lat you in; Ye'll gie the next to the butler-boy, And he will show you ben.
"Ye'll gie the third to the minstrel That's harping in the ha', And he'll play gude luck to the bonny boy That comes frae the greenwood shaw."
He gied the first to the proud porter, And he opened and lat him in; He gied the next to the butler-boy, And he has shown him ben;