There was a harper an old blind harper
He lived in Lochmaben town
And a wager he laid with lord and lady
Steal Henry's wanton brown
There he sat in the pub on an evening
He was drunk and drinking wine
A wager he laid with lord and lady
Steal Henry's wanton brown
One of them bet him a house and land
And the other one bet five thousand pound
And how they laughed at the silly blind harper
Ran off to steal the wanton brown
Up and spoke this harper's wife
And oh what a wily one was she
Go take the mare that's newly foaled
Leave her babe at home with me
He took his harp all in his hand
He run playing all round the town
And the king high in his highland home
His ears were touched by all that sound
Come in come in now you John Harper
More of your music we would hear
Yes that I will says John Harper
But I must have stabling for my mare
You go down to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And you can leave her warm and snug
And next to my own wanton brown
And he's gone down to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And there he spied the stable snug
Where stately stood the wanton brown
And he took out a good strong halter
How the horse come to his call
As he slipped it o'er the wanton's nose
Tied the end to his mare's tail
And he took out a good strong halter
How the horse come to his call
As he slipped it o'er the wanton's nose
Tied the end to his mare's tail
And he has played in the king's high hall
And he has played them deep asleep
And he's gone down to his hands and knees
And he crawled into the street
And he's away to the outer court
That stands a bit below the town
And the guards slept as he let out the mare
Tied safe to the wanton brown
Just you run through the moss you run through mire
Through many's the bog and the lairy hole
And don't you let this wanton slack
Till you get home to your own foal
Soon as the door he has unshut
The mare ran prancing round the town
And there behind keeping close
She towed the stately wanton brown
They ran through the moss they ran through mire
Through many's the bog and the lairy hole
And she never let this wanton slack
Till she got home to her own foal
John played in the king's high hall
Till the king called him and aloud he cried
O wake wake now you John Harper
We have slept till nearly day
Get up get up now you John Harper
More of your music we will hear
Yes that I will says John Harper
But I must go see to my grey mare
He's gone down to the outer court
And back he's come with many's the tear
Thieves broke in the outer court
Stole away my good grey mare
O my soul and cries the king
If there be thieves all in this town
And they have taken your grey mare
Then they have stolen the wanton brown
Play play now you John Harper
Give me music to my ear
And I will pay you for your song
If three times for your grey mare
John played and John got paid
And John ran paid all from the town
Never did King Henry think
He'd stolen away his wanton brown
Lords stood at the high town wall
And they beheld both dale and town
There they spied this John Harper
Come walking back down to the town
O my soul and cries the lord
How come you come home so soon
Oh we see you've no grey mare
Still you have no wanton brown
Aye ye lie then cries the boy
I took him so suddenly
I was paid for my music
And three times for my grey mare
He took them to his own stable
Open wide the door he spun
There's the mare there's the foal
And there's the stately wanton brown
One paid up his house and land
The other one paid five thousand pound
And how he laughed did John Harper
Who stole away the wanton brown