Young Hunting

Young Hunting’s to the castle gone
As fast as he could ride
He’s a hunting horn about his waist
A broadsword by his side
A broadsword by his side

And when he came to the castle gates
He’s pulled all at the pin
No one so ready as the lady herself
To arise and let him in
Arise and let him in

You’re welcome here, my Young Hunting
For coal and candle lights
And so welcome are you, Young Hunting
To lie with me this night
To lie with me this night

I thank you for your light lady
So do I for your coal
But there’s a fairer woman than ten of thee
Meets me at Brandie’s Well
Meets me at Brandie’s Well

He bent down o’er his saddlebow
To kiss her ruby cheek
But she took out a little pen knife
And wounded him full deep
And wounded him full deep

She’s called on her maid Catherine
So long before the day
I have a dead man in my bower
I wish he was away
I wish he was away

They booted him and spurred him
As he was wont to ride
They’ve taken him to the wide water
They call the river Clyde
They call the river Clyde

One has taken him by his feet
The other one by his head
In the deepest parts of Clyde water
It’s there they made his bed
It’s there they made his bed

Lie there, lie there, you young Hunting
‘Til the blood seep from your bone
That fairer woman than ten of me
Will wait long ere you come home
Wait long ere you come home

Then up and spoke the bonny little bird
That stood all in the tree
Go home, go home, you false lady
Pay your maid her fee
And pay your maid her fee

Come down, come down, my bonny little bird
Come down into my hand
Your cage I’ll make of the fine beaten gold
Where now is the willow wand
Where now is the willow wand

Keep your cage of beaten gold
And I will keep my tree
For as you did with Young Hunting
You’d do the same with me
You’d do the same with me

And it fell out on the very next day
The king was going to ride
And he has sent for for Young Hunting
To ride all at his side
To ride all at his side

The lady swore by the grass so green
So did she by the corn
I saw not your son Young Hunting
Since yesterday at morn
Yesterday at morn

But I saw him ride to Clyde Water
I fear he’s drowned therein
And they have sent the divers bold
To dive for Young Hunting
To dive for Young Hunting

Then up and spoke the bonny little bird
That flew above their heads:
Dive on, dive on, you divers bold
For there he lies indeed
For there he lies indeed

But leave off your diving in the day
And dive all in the night
And where Young Hunting he lies slain
The candles will burn full bright
The candles will burn full bright

So they left off diving in the day
And dived all in the night
And where Young Hunting he lay slain
The candles burned full bright
The candles burned full bright

White, white were his wounds all washed
As white as a linen clout
But when the lady she came near
The blood come gushing out
The blood come gushing out

Well it’s surely been my maid Catherine
And ill may she betide
For I’d have never slain my Young Hunting
And thrown him in the Clyde
And thrown him in the Clyde

So they have taken the maid Catherine
And a bonfire set her in
But the fire wouldn’t take upon her cheek
Nor yet upon her chin
Nor yet upon her chin

So they’ve taken out the maid Catherine
They’ve thrown the lady in
And the fire took fast on her fair body
She burned like holly green
She burned like holly green