Tom: A
A E A
Oh, Johnny rose on a May morning,
D
Called for water to wash his hands,
A D A
Saying “Bring to me my two grey dogs,
E D
That lie bound in iron bands.”
E
When Johnny’s mother she heard of this,
D A E
She wrung her hands full sore,
A D A D
Says “Johnny, for your venison
E D E
To the green woods do not go.”
[Verse 2]
A E A
“For there are seven foresters in Esslemont,
D
And this you know full well,
A D A
For one small drop of your heart’s blood
E D
They would ride to the gates of Hell.”
E
“Oh, there’s many men are my friends, Mother,
D A E
Though many more are my foe.
A D A D
And betide me well or betide me ill,
E D E
A-hunting I will go.”
[Verse 3]
A E A
So Johnny has taken his good bent bow,
D
His arrows one by one,
A D A
And he’s away to Monymusk
E D
For to bring the dun deer down.
[Instrumental]
E
D A E
A D A D
E D E
[Verse 4]
A E A
Oh, Johnny shot and the dun deer rose,
D
He’s wounded her in the side.
A D A
And between the water and the woods,
E D
The two dogs laid her pride.
E
And they ate so much of the venison,
D A E
They drank so much of the blood,
A D A D
That Johnny and his two grey dogs
E D E
Fell asleep as if they had been dead.
[Verse 5]
A E A
And by there came a sly old man,
D
A silly old man was he,
A D A
And he’s away to Esslemont
E D
For to tell on young Johnny.
E
“As I came in by Monymusk,
D A E
And down among yon scrogs,
A D A D
It was there I spied the bonniest youth
E D E
Lying sleeping between two dogs.”
[Verse 6]
A E A
“And the buttons that were on his coat
D
Were of the gold so good,
A D A
And the two grey dogs that he lay between,
E D
Their mouths they were died with blood.”
E
And up and spoke the first forester,
D A E
He was headsman over them all,
A D A D
“Can this be Johnny of Brady’s Lea?
E D E
Unto him we will crawl.”
[Verse 7]
A E A
And the very first shot that the foresters fired,
D
It wounded him in the thigh,
A D A
The very next shot that the foresters fired,
E D
His heart’s blood blinded his eye.
E
Then up woke Johnny from out of his sleep,
D A E
An angry man was he.
A D A D
He says “The wildest wolf in all this wood
E D E
Would not have done so by me.”
[Verse 8]
A E A
And he’s leaned his back against an oak,
D
His foot against a stone,
A D A
And he has fired on the seven foresters,
E D
He’s killed them all but one.
E
And he’s broken seven of this man’s ribs,
D A E
His arm and his collarbone,
A D A D
And he has set him on to his horse,
E D E
To bring the tidings home.
[Verse 9]
N.C.
Johnny’s good bent bow is broke,
N.C.
And his two grey dogs are slain,
N.C.
And his body lies in Monymusk,
N.C.
And his hunting days are done.
