illie, as we came over the know?'
'That same he is an innocent fool,
And some men calls him Dick o' the Cow.'

6.
'That fool has three as good kyne of his own
As is in a' Cumberland, billie,' quoth he;
'Betide my life, betide my death,
These three kyne shal go to Liddisdaile with me.'

7.
Then they're com'd on to the poor fool's house,
And they have broken his wals so wide;
They have loos'd out Dick o' the Cow's kyne three,
And tane three co'erlets off his wife's bed.

8.
Then on the morn, when the day grew light,
The shouts and crys rose loud and high;
'Hold thy tongue, my wife,' he says,
'And of thy crying let me bee.

9.
'Hald thy tongue, my wife,' he says,
'And of thy crying let me bee,
And ay that where thou wants a kow,
Good sooth that I shal bring thee three.'

10.
Then Dick's com'd on to lord and master,
And I wat a drerie fool was he;
'Hald thy tongue, my fool,' he says,
'For I may not stand to jest with thee.'

11.
'Shame speed a' your jesting, my lord,' quo' Dickie,
'For nae such jesting 'grees with me;
Liddesdaile has been in my house this last night,
And they have tane my three kyne from me.'

12.
'But I may nae langer in Cumberland dwel,
To be your poor fool and your leel,
Unless ye give me leave, my lord,
To go to Liddisdale and steal.'

13.
'To give thee leave, my fool,' he says,
'Thou speaks against mine honour and me;
Unless thou give me thy troth and thy right hand,
Thou'l steal frae nane but them that sta' from thee.'

14.
'There is my trouth and my right hand;
My head shal hing on Hairibie,
I'le never crose Carlele sands again,
If I steal frae a man but them that sta' frae me.'

15.
Dickie has tane leave at lord and master,
And I wat a merrie fool was he;
He has bought a bridle and a pair of new spurs,
And has packed them up in his breek-thigh.

16.
Then Dickie's come on for Puddinburn,
Even as fast as he may drie;
Dickie's come on for Puddinburn,
Where there was thirty Armstrongs and three.

17.
'What's this com'd on me!' quo' Dicke,
'What meakle wae's this happen'd on me,' quo' he,
'Where here is but an innocent fool,
And there is thirty Armstrongs and three!'

18.
Yet he's com'd up to the hall among them all;
So wel he became his courtisie;
'Well may ye be, my good Laird's J