Johnnie rose on a May morning
Called for water tae wash his hands
Says, "Gae loose tae me my guid grey dogs
That lie bound in iron bands.
Ye'll busk, ye'll busk, my noble dogs
Ye'll busk and make them bound
For I'm gaun tae the Broadspear Hill
Tae ding the dun deer doon."
When Johnnie's mother she heard o' this
Her hands wi' dule she rung
Says, "Johnnie for my benison
Tae the green woods dinna gang.
Enough ye hae o' the guid white breid
Enough o' the blude red wine.
So Johnnie, for your venison
Tae the green woods dinna gang."
But Johnnie has buskit up his guid bent bow,
His arrows ane by ane.
And he's awa' tae Durisdeer
Tae ding the dun deer doon.
Johnnie shot, the dun deer lap,
And he wounded her in the side
But atween the water and the wood
His hounds they laid her pride.
Johnnie ate o' the venison
His dogs drank o' the blude
Till they a' lay doon and fell asleep
Asleep as they'd been deid.
The by there cam' a silly auld carle
A silly auld man was he,
And he's awa' tae the king's foresters
Tae tell wha' he did see.
Then up an' spak' the king's forester
An angry man was he,
"If this be Johnnie o' Braidesley
We soon will gar him dee."
"Stand stout, stand stout, my noble dogs,
Stand stout and dinna flee,
Stand fast, stand fast, my guid grey hounds,
And we wi' mak' them dee."
Johnnie he shot six o' them,
He's wounded the seventh sair,
Syne he swung his hough ower his horse's back
And he swore he would hunt mair.
Now Johnnie's guid bent bow is brak',
His guid grey dogs are slain,
And his body lies in Durisdeer:
His hunting days are done.