JOCK SHEEP



There was a knight and a lady bright

Set a true tryst to the broom;

The tane to meet at twal o'clock

The tither true at noon.



When they cam to the gude greenwud

He lichtly laid her doun;

"O spare me now, kind sir," she says,

"For spoilin' o' my goun."



"Do ye na see my father's castle?

It's guarded weel about

And ye shall hae your wills o' me

Therein, and no thairout."



But when she cam to her father's yett

Sae lichtly she lap doun

She's shut the door behind her,

Says, "Whistle o' your thumb!"



"And whistle o' your thumb, Jock Sheep,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"You're like a cock my father has

He wears the double kaim

He claps his wings but craws nane

And I think ye are like him."



"And whistle o' your thumb, Jock Sheep,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"You're like a flower in my father's garden

They ca't the marigold;

And he that wadna whan he could

He shanna when he wold."



"And whistle o' your thumb, Jock Sheep,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"You're like a steed my father has

He's tethered on yon loan;

He hangs his head out owre the mare

But darena venture on."



"And whistle o' your thumb, Jock Sheep,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



He's turned him right and round about,

And swore he'd got the scorn;

But he's to hae his wills o' her

On Monday or the morn.



He's taen a mantle him about

wi' a cod* upon his wame*;

And he's on to gude greenwud

Like a lady in travelling.



Then word's cum to her father's castle

And thro' the ha' it's gane

That there was a lady in gude greenwud

And she was a-travelling.



She's tane her mantle her about,

Her key's out owre her arm;

And she is gane to gude greenwud

To see this lady wi' bairn.



But when she cam to gude greenwud

She saw nae lady there;

But a knicht upon a milk-white steed

Kaiming down his yellow hair.



"Ye're welcome here, my dear," he says,

"Ye're welcome here, my dow;

Sin ye're sae trusty tae your tryst

My dear ye sanna rue."



He's taen her by the milk-white hand

Sae lichtly laid her doon;

And when he loot her up again

Says, "Whistle o' your thumb."



And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"Ye said I was like your father's cock

He wore the double kaim

He clapt his wings but craw'd nane

And ye thocht I was like him."



"And whistle o' your thumb, fair may,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, fair may," he says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"Ye said I was like your father's flower

They ca't the marigold;

And he that wadna whan he could

He shanna when he wold."



"And whistle o' your thumb, fair may,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, fair may," he says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"Ye said I was like your father's steed

Was tethered on yon loan;

He hung his head out owre the mare

But I think he's ventured on."



"Sae whistle o' your thumb, Jock Sheep,

And whistle o' your thumb,

Sae stand ye there, Jock Sheep, she says,

And whistle o' your thumb."



"O, had I staid in my father's castle

And sew'd the silken seam!

But sin you've taen your wills o' me

You may conduct me hame."



He's set her on his milk-white steed

And took her to the ha';

Nae lord nor lady look'd sae blythe

As them twa' mang them a'.



Child #112

From The Ballad Book, Kinloch, 1827

Note: A considerably fuller version of the Baffled Knight RG

@seduction @revenge

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