Johnie Cock (Child 114C)

Johnny Cock, in a May morning,
Sought water to wash his hands,
And he is awa to louse his dogs,
That’s tied wi iron bans.
That’s tied wi iron bans

His coat it is of the light Lincum green,
And his breiks are of the same;
His shoes are of the American leather,
Silver buckles tying them.

‘He’ hunted up, and so did ‘he’ down,
Till ‘he’ came to yon bush of scrogs,
And then to yon wan water,
Where he slept among his dogs.

Johnny Cock out-shot a’ the foresters,
And out-shot a the three;
Out shot a’ the foresters,
Wounded Johnny aboun the bree.

‘Woe be to you, foresters,
And an ill death may you die!
For there would not a wolf in a’ the wood
Have done the like to me.

‘For’ ’twould ha’ put its foot in the coll water
And ha strinkled it on my bree,
And gin that would not have done,
Would have gane and lett me be.

‘I often took to my mother
The dandoo and the roe,
But now I’l take to my mother
Much sorrow and much woe.

‘I often took to my mother
The dandoo and the hare,
But now I’l take to my mother
Much sorrow and much care.’