Have you heard of the blind harper
How he lived in Lochmaben town
He would go to fair England
To steal King Henry's wanton brown
But first he's gone unto his wife
With all the speed that he could show
This work he says it'll never go well
Without the help of our good grey mare
She says you take the good grey mare
She'll run o'er hills both low and high
Sit you on the grey mare's back
And leave her foal at home with me
So he is off to England gone
Even as fast as go could he
When he came to Carlisle gates
Who should be there but the King Henry
The king he looked over his left shoulder
And he says unto his serving groom
Take the poor blind harper's mare
And put her beside my wanton brown
And the harper harped and then he sang
And he charmed them all so fast asleep
Straightway he took off his shoes
Quietly down the stairs did creep
When he came to the stable door
With a tread as light as light could be
When he opened and went in
He found thirty steeds and three
And he's taken the halter from his hose
And from his purpose he did not fail
He tied it over the wanton's nose
And he's tied it to the grey mare's tail
And he's loosed them out of the castle gates
And the mare didn't fail to find her way
She was at Lochmaben town
Three long hours before the day
And the very next morning in broad daylight
When they had ended all their cheer
Behold the wanton brown was gone
Likewise the poor blind harper's mare
It's O and alas says the blind harper
It's ever and alas that I came here
In Scotland I've lost me a good grey foal
In England they've stolen me old grey mare
Hold your talking you blind harper
And again of your music let us hear
Well paid shall your colt foal be
You will have a far better mare
So the harper harped and then he sang
And sweet was the music he let then hear
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost
And three times over for the good grey mare