Johnny woke on a May morning,
Called for water to wash his hands,
And he called to him his trois greyhounds,
That were bound in iron chains.
Bound in iron chains.
Johnny rode his great grey mare,
And the dogs before did go,
And he's away to the gay green wood,
For to hunt the red tail doe.
To hunt the red tail doe.
Johnny shot the dandy deer,
She was wounded in the side.
And between the water and the wood,
The greyhounds lay their prize.
The greyhounds lay their prize.
Johnny ate the venison,
And the dogs on gall did feed,
And they all lay doon and fell asleep
A sleep both lang and deep.
A sleep both lang and deep.
Then by there coom a silly old man,
And a silly old man was he,
And he's away to the king's foresters,
For to tell on young Johnny.
To tell on young Johnny.
Seven men they heard him out,
And then swiftly they did ride,
And they coom on Johnny all alain,
And they shot him in the side.
They shot him in the side.
Johnny shot six of them,
And the seventh he wounded sore.
Then he threw his leg o'er his horseback,
And he swore that he would hunt more.
He swore that he would hunt more.
Johnny rode his great grey mare,
To a thicket in the woods,
But he left behind a blood red trail,
And they shot him where he stood.
They shot him where he stood.
Now Johnny's great big bow is broke,
And his trois greyhounds are slain,
And his body lies in the muddy must, a
And his hunting days are dain.
His hunting days are dain.
(Sometimes ends with "Over" instead of "dain".)