Johnny got up on a May morning
Called for water to wash his hands
Says, "Gae lowse tae me ma twa gray dugs
That lie in an iron bands, bands
That lie in an iron bands."

Johnny's mother she heard o this
Her hands for dule she wrang
Saying: "Johnny, for yer venison
Tae the greenwood dinnae gang, gang
Tae the greenwood dinnae gang."

But Johnny has taen his guid benbow
His arrows one by one
And he's awa tae the greenwood gaen
Tae ding the dun deer doun, doun
Tae ding the dun deer doun

Now Johnny shot and the dun deer lapt
And he wounded her in the side
And there between the water and the woods
The grey hounds laid her pride, her pride
The grey hounds laid her pride

They ate sae much o the venison
They drank sae much o the bluid
That Johnny and his twa gray dugs
Fell asleep as though were deid, were deid
Fell asleep as though were deid

Then by there cam a silly auld man
An ill death may he dee
For he's awa tae Esslemont
The seven foresters for tae see, tae see
The foresters for tae see

As a cam in by Monymusk
Doun among yon scruggs
Well, there I spied the bonniest youth
Lying sleeping atween twa dugs, twa dugs
Lying sleeping atween twa dugs

The buttons that were upon his sleeve
Were o the gowd sae guid
And the twa grey hounds that he lay between
Their mous were dyed wi bluid, wi bluid
Their mous were dyed wi bluid

Then up and jumps the first forester
He was captain o them aw
Saying: "If that be Jock o' Braidislee
Unto him we'll draw, we'll draw
Unto him we'll draw."

The first shot that the foresters fired
It hit Johnny on the knee
And the second shot that the foresters fired
His hert's bluid blint his ee, his ee
His hert's bluid blint his ee

Then up jumps Johnny fae oot o his sleep
And an angry man was he
Saying: "Ye micht hae waukent me fae my sleep
Ere my hert's bluid blint my ee, my ee
Ere my hert's bluid blint my ee."

But he's rested his back against an oak
His fit upon a stane
For he has fired at the seven o them
He's killed them aw but ane, but ane
He's killed them aw but ane

He's broken four o that one's ribs
His airm and his collar bane
And he has set him upon his horse
Wi the tidings sent him hame, hame
Wi the tidings sent him hame

But Johnny's guid benbow is broke
His twa gray dugs are slain
And his body lies in Monymusk
His hunting days are daen, are daen
His hunting days are daen