Saddled and bridled,
And booted was he--
A plume at his helmet,
A sword at his knee;--
Toom hame came the saddle
At evening to me,
And hame came his steed--
But hame never came he!
Down came his grey father,
Sobbing fu' sair;
Down came his auld mother,
Tearing her hair:
Down came his sweet wife,
Wi' her bonnie bairns three--
Ane at her bosom,
And twa at her knee!
There stood his fleet steed,
All foaming and hot;
There shrieked his sweet wife,
And sank on the spot,--
There stood his grey father,
Weeping fu' free,
For hame came his steed,
But hame never came he!
_Literary Magnet._
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