Fair Lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing
Aye* as the gowans** grow gay (*yes - **daisies)
There she heard an elf-knight blowing his horn
The first morning in May.

“If I had yon* horn that I hear blowing, (*that)
And yon elf-knight to sleep in my bosom.”

This maiden had scarcely these words spoken
Till in at her window the elf-knight has luppen* (*leapt)

“It’s a very strange matter, fair maiden”, said he
“I canna* blaw my horn but** ye call on me. (*cannot blow - **that)

But will ye go to yon greenwood side ?
If ye canna gang*, I will cause** you to ride.” (*go - **induce)

He leapt on a horse, and she on another,
And they rode on to the greenwood together.

"Light down*, light down, lady Isabel,” said he, (*get off)
“We are come to the place where ye are* to die." (*must)

“Hae* mercy, hae mercy kind sir, on me, (*have)
Till ance* my dear mother and father I see.” (*once)

“Seven king’s daughters here hae* I slain, (*have)
And ye shall be the eight of them.”

“Oh sit down a while, lay your head on my knee,
That we may hae some rest before that I die.”

She stroaked* him sae** fast, the nearer he did creep***, (*patted - **so - ***slide)
Wi a sma* charm she lulled him fast asleep. (*with a small)

Wi his ain* sword-belt sae fast as she ban** him, (*own - **bound)
Wi his ain dag-durk sae sair as she dang him.

“If seven king’s daughters here ye hae* slain, (*you have)
Lye* ye here a husband to them a’**.” (*lie - **all)