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IX. MISCELLANEOUS 339
The king looks o'er his left shoulder,
And says unto his stable groom ;— 'Gae talc the silly poor harper's mare, ) ,.
And tie her 'side my wanton brown.' J
And ay he harped, and ay he carpit,
Till a' the lords gaed through the floor; They thought the music was sae sweet ) ,.
That they forgat the stable door. i
And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,
Till a' the nobles were sound asleep; Then quietly he took aff his shoon ) ,•
And saftly down the stair did creep, i
Syne to the stable door he hies
Wi' tread as light as light could be, And when he open'd and gaed in, \ ,.
There he fand thirty good steeds and threeS
He took the halter frae his hose,
And of his purpose did na fail; He slipt it o'er the wanton's nose, ) ,.
And tied it to his grey mare's tail, j
He ca'd her out at yon back yeate
O'er moss and muir & ilka- dale ; And she loot ne'er the wanton bite, ) ,.
But held her still gaun at her tail, i
The grey mare was right swift o' fit,
And did na fail to find the way, Fof she was at Lochmaben yeate ) ,.
Fu' lang three hours ere it was day. )
When she came to the harper's door,
There she gae many a nicher and snear; * Rise,' quo' the wife, ' thou lazy lass, ) ,.
Let in thy master and his mare.' i
Then up she raise, pat on her claes,
And lookit out through the lock-hole : 1 O ! by my sooth, then,' quo' the lass, ) ,.
' Our mare has gotten a braw big foal.' )
' Come haud thy peace thou foolish lass,
The moon's but glancing in thy e'e; I'd wad my haill fee 'gainst a groat ) ,.
It's bigger than e'er our foal will be.' ) z a |
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