"I'm a forester in these woods an' ye're the same design
It's the mantle o' your maidenhead, bonnie lassie, never mind"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"Since ye've laid me doon, come pick me up again
An' since ye've ta'en the wiles o' me, come tell tae me your name

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"Sometimes they ca' me James, an' sometimes they ca' me John
But when I'm on the King's highway, Young William is my name"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"They neither ca' you James, nor dae they ca' you John
But when you're on the King's highway Young Gilbert is your name"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

When he heard his name cried oot, he's mounted on his steed
But she's buckled up her petticoats an' after him she's gaed

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

He rad an' she ran the lang simmer's day
Until they came tae a water, it was ca'ed the River Spey

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"Dae ye see the castle standin in yonder green
An dae ye see the maidens there that would dazzle your e'en?"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"I can see the castle standing in yonder green
An yes, I can see the maidens there, the prettiest ever seen"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"The water it's o'er deep, my love, I fear ye canna wade"
Afore he got his horse well oot, she was at the ither side

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

Noo she's in afore the King, bowed doon upon a knee
"There's a chancellor in your court an' he has robbit me"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"Well did he steal your mantle or did he steal your fee
Or did he steal your maidenheid, the flower of your body?"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"He didna steal my mantle, nor did he steal my fee
But yes, he stole my maidenheid, and that's the worst o' three"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"Well gin he be a single man, ye shall married be
But gin he be a married man, I'll hang him tae yon tree"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

"I wisht I'd drunk the water the nicht I drank the wine
Tae  think  that a shepherd's daughter would hae been a love o' mine"

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay

Noo when it cam tae the weddin', they laughed tae see the fun
She's the laird o' Urie's daughter an' him but a blacksmith's son

And sing diddy i o, sing fal a do, sing diddy i o i ay