Hind Horn

Child  #17  8:45  Guitar (G), OM & HG.

Birk = birch; broom, whose bright golden flowering bushes cover Scottish hills and moors, has a strong link with sexual activity in this and other songs and ballads, but should be distinguished from gorse, equally golden and profuse, but undeniably prickly.

Near Edinburgh town was a young child born,
With a high loo low and a high loo land,
His name was called young Hind Horn,
And the birk and the broom bloom bonnie-o.

Seven years he served the King,
With a high loo low, etc.,
All for the sake of his daughter Jean,
And the birk and the broom, etc.

The King an angry man was he,
And he sent young Hind Horn to the sea.

She’s given him a golden ring,
With seven diamonds set therein.

When this ring grows pale and wan,
You may know by it my love is gone.

One day he looked his ring upon,
And knew she loved another man.

He’s left the sea and come to land,
And there he’s met an old beggar man.

“What news, what news doth thee betide?
“No news but the Princess Jean’s a bride.”

“Will you give to me thy begging tweed,
And I’ll give to you my riding steed?”

The beggar he was bound for to ride,
And Hind Horn he was bound for the bride.

When he came to the King’s own gate,
He sought a drink for Hind Horn’s sake.

He drank out the wine and dropped in the ring,
And bade them take it to the Princess Jean.

“Got you this ring by sea or land,
Or got you this from a dead man’s hand?”

“Not from sea and not from land,
But I got it from thy milk-white hand.”

“I’ll cast off my gown of brown,
And I’ll follow you from town to town.”

“And I’ll cast off my dress of red,
And I’ll follow you and beg my bread.”

“You needn’t cast off your gown of brown,
For I’ll make you the lady of many a town.”

“You needn’t cast off your dress of red,
For I’ll maintain you with wine and bread.”

The bridegroom had the bride first wed,
But young Hind Horn took her first to bed.
And the birk and the broom ....bloom bonnie-o.