Johnny of Braidesley

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

Child #114
sung by Jean Redpath and Ewan Maccoll
SOF