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John Thomson and the Turk

No: 266; variant: 266B

  1. O cam ye in by the House o Rodes, Or cam ye there away? Or have [ye] seen Johne Tamson? They say his wife has run away.

  1. 'O what wad ye do, Johne Tamson, Gin ye had me as I hae thee?' 'I wad tak ye to the gude green-wood, And gar your ain hand weil the tree.'

  1. Johne Tamson peeped and poorly spake Untill he did his ain men see; 'O by my sooth,' quo Johne Tamson, 'Methinks I see a coming tree.'

  1. And they hae hanged that grim Soudan, For a' his mirth and meikle pride, And sae hae they that ill woman, Upon a scrogg-bush him beside.