“O what’s this come o’ me now?” quo’ Dickie;
  “What mickle wae is this?” quo’ he;
  “For here is but ae innocent fule,
  And there are thirty Armstrangs and three!”

  Yet he has come up to the fair ha’ board,
  Sae weil he’s become his courtesie! 
  “Weil may ye be, my gude Laird’s Jock! 
  But the deil bless a’ your cumpanie.

  “I’m come to plain o’ your man, fair Johnie Armstrang
  And syne o’ his billie Willie,” quo he;
  “How they’ve been in my house last night,
  And they hae ta’en my three kye frae me.”

  “Ha!” quo’ fair Johnie Armstrang, “we will him hang.” 
  “Na,” quo’ Willie, “we’ll him slae.” 
  Then up and spak another young Armstrang,
  “We’ll gie him his batts,[173] and let him gae.”

  But up and spak the gude Laird’s Jock,
  The best falla in a’ the cumpanie: 
  “Sit down thy ways a little while, Dickie,
  And a piece o’ thy ain cow’s hough I’ll gie ye.”

  But Dickie’s heart it grew sae grit,
  That the ne’er a bit o’t he dought to eat—­
  Then was he aware of an auld peat-house,
  Where a’ the night he thought for to sleep.

  Then Dickie was aware of an auld peat-house,
  Where a’ the night he thought for to lye—­
  And a’ the prayers the pure fule prayed
  Were, “I wish I had amends for my gude three kye!”

  It was then the use of Pudding-burn house,
  And the house of Mangerton, all hail,
  Them that cam na at the first ca’,
  Gat nae mair meat till the neist meal.

  The lads, that hungry and weary were,
  Abune the door-head they threw the key;
  Dickie he took gude notice o’ that,
  Says—­“There will be a bootie for me.”

  Then Dickie has into the stable gane,
  Where there stood thirty horses and three;
  He has tied them a’ wi’ St. Mary’s knot,
  A’ these horses but barely three.

  He has tied them a’ wi’ St. Mary’s knot,
  A’ these horses but barely three;
  He’s loupen on ane, ta’en another in hand,
  And away as fast as he can hie.

  But on the morn, when the day grew light,
  The shouts and cries raise loud and hie—­
  “Ah! whae has done this?” quo’ the gude Laird’s Jock,
  “Tell me the truth and the verity!”

  “Whae has done this deed?” quo’ the gude Laird’s Jock;
  “See that to me ye dinna lie!”
  Dickie has been in the stable last night,
  And has ta’en my brother’s horse and mine frae me.”

  “Ye wad ne’er be tald,” quo’ the gude Laird’s Jock;
  “Have ye not found my tales fu’ leil? 
  Ye ne’er wad out o’ England bide,
  Till crooked, and blind, and a’ would steal.”

  “But lend me thy bay,” fair Johnie can say;
  “There’s nae horse loose in the stable save he;
  And I’ll either fetch Dick o’ the Cow again,
  Or the day is come that he shall die.”

  “To lend thee my bay!” the Laird’s Jock can say,
  “He’s baith worth gowd and gude monie;
  Dick o’ the Cow has awa twa horse;
  I wish na thou may make him three.”