Unknown - Jock Sheep Lyrics

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