Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Young Johnston and the Young Colonel / Young Johnstone (Child No. 88) - Sung by Cathie MacQueen, a Traveller at Pitlochry, Moulin, Perthshire, Scotland. She learned it from her grandparents and parents. Recorded by Dr. Linda Williamson on November 22th, 1975.
The original recording can be listened to here:
tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/39283?l=en
Linda Williamson's thesis on Scottish Traveller singing can be read here, it is well worth your time if you are interested in Cathie MacQueen's song repertoire: era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/8223
Note by Kevin W.:
This is really, really good. I never expected to hear such a full version of this beautiful ballad. The episode with Glengyle I've never heard before. Betsy Whyte's version didn't have it, Jessie MacDonald's didn't have it, and neither did Prof. Child's texts.
Song transcription:
Johnston and the Young Colonel
Was drinking high at wine.
"You will marry my sister
And I will marry thine."
["Oh no, oh no," says the Young Colonel
"Such a thing can never be.
I'll keep her as my housekeeper
When I come o'er the lea."] *
Now Johnston had a small penknife
He wore down by his side,
He thrust it in the Young Colonel
An ne'er a word (he spoke) more.
Then he looked all around with a tearful eye
To see if anyone eyed him
But who should he spy but the Young Glengyle
With the wind his clothing flying.
Oh draw your sword, Johnston, he says
Or (in) pieces I will break it
For you have killed the Young Colonel
And you have done it falsely.
Oh yield your sword, Glengyle, he says
Do not make me kill you
Though I have killed the Young Colonel
I have not done it falsely.
Oh draw your sword, Johnston, he says
Don't like a dog destice(?) me
For you have killed the Young Colonel
And I've come it to see.
Oh twice Johnston thrust and twice he missed
And twice he could have slain him
But he thrust it through the Young Colonel (Glengyle)
No longer he'd detain him.
Twas on the shore where waves did roar
Where man or bird shall hide him
Twas on the shore where waves did roar
It's there he left him dying.
He mounted up his milk white steed
Rode like lightning o'er the lea
Until he came to his sister Ann
And there alighted he.
"Oh Johnston, dear, I had a dream,
And I hope it's for your good.
They're after you with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead."
Oh sister dear your dream is true
Can I come in and rest my head
They're after me with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead.
Oh Johnston dear, oh dear Johnston,
Make haste and don't waste time
If you have killed that Young Colonel
You're no dear brother of mine.
He mounted up his milk white steed
And rode like lightning o'er the lea
Until he came to his true love's abode
And he tinkled at the pin.
"Oh Johnston, dear, I had a dream,
And I hope it's for your good.
They're after you with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead."
Oh Margaret dear your dream is true
Can I come in and rest my head
They're after me with hounds and hawks
And your own dear brother is dead.
Oh Johnston dear, oh dear Johnston,
Come in and take a sleep
What care I for the Young Colonel
When your own dear body is mine.
They were nor through nor up the stairs,
No time to take a sleep
When four and twenty belted knights
Came charging at the gate.
"Oh did you see a bloody knight
For he was just taking this way
We're after him both day and night
For free he must not be.
[Bloody was his hawk, he said
And bloody was his hound,
And bloody was his milk white steed
That carried him o'er the lea.] *
My parlor's full of gentlemen
My barn's full of hay
I have not seen no bloody knight
I've no room for him to stay.
"Alight, alight, dear gentlemen,
And have some bread and wine.
If you flew so swiftly o'er the lea
He's passed the bridge o Tyne."
"Oh thank you for your bread, my dear
And thank you for your wine,
But I would give all broad Scotland
That your own dear body was mine."
Arise, arise, oh dear Johnston
Arise and breast(?) no more
For there's four and twenty belted knights
A-seeking you at my door.
For Johnston drew his good broad sword,
That lay down by his side,
And he thrust it through his own true love
And she dropped down to the floor.
Oh Johnston, dear, what have you done
You'd no (need) to kill me
For I had given you all my father's land
And all my mother's fee.
"Oh live, oh live, oh dear true love,"
Oh live for one more hour.
And there's not a leech in all the land
That I'll have at your bower"
Oh Johnston dear, how can I live
Even for one hour
Can't you see that my true heart's blood
Goes trickling o'er the floor.
Oh Margaret dear, what have I done
For true this cannot be
I'd rather die along with you
As part once more from thee.
So it's in he pierced his own true heart
And fell down by her side
And clutching his true love in his arms
That's how they both have died.
* Cathie missed these two verses when singing it but recited them in the conversation after.
Young Johnston and the Young Colonel / Young Johnstone (Child No. 88) - Sung by Cathie MacQueen, a Traveller at Pitlochry, Moulin, Perthshire, Scotland. She learned it from her grandparents and parents. Recorded by Dr. Linda Williamson on November 22th, 1975.
The original recording can be listened to here:
tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/39283?l=en
Linda Williamson's thesis on Scottish Traveller singing can be read here, it is well worth your time if you are interested in Cathie MacQueen's song repertoire: era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/8223
Note by Kevin W.:
This is really, really good. I never expected to hear such a full version of this beautiful ballad. The episode with Glengyle I've never heard before. Betsy Whyte's version didn't have it, Jessie MacDonald's didn't have it, and neither did Prof. Child's texts.
Song transcription:
Johnston and the Young Colonel
Was drinking high at wine.
"You will marry my sister
And I will marry thine."
["Oh no, oh no," says the Young Colonel
"Such a thing can never be.
I'll keep her as my housekeeper
When I come o'er the lea."] *
Now Johnston had a small penknife
He wore down by his side,
He thrust it in the Young Colonel
An ne'er a word (he spoke) more.
Then he looked all around with a tearful eye
To see if anyone eyed him
But who should he spy but the Young Glengyle
With the wind his clothing flying.
Oh draw your sword, Johnston, he says
Or (in) pieces I will break it
For you have killed the Young Colonel
And you have done it falsely.
Oh yield your sword, Glengyle, he says
Do not make me kill you
Though I have killed the Young Colonel
I have not done it falsely.
Oh draw your sword, Johnston, he says
Don't like a dog destice(?) me
For you have killed the Young Colonel
And I've come it to see.
Oh twice Johnston thrust and twice he missed
And twice he could have slain him
But he thrust it through the Young Colonel (Glengyle)
No longer he'd detain him.
Twas on the shore where waves did roar
Where man or bird shall hide him
Twas on the shore where waves did roar
It's there he left him dying.
He mounted up his milk white steed
Rode like lightning o'er the lea
Until he came to his sister Ann
And there alighted he.
"Oh Johnston, dear, I had a dream,
And I hope it's for your good.
They're after you with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead."
Oh sister dear your dream is true
Can I come in and rest my head
They're after me with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead.
Oh Johnston dear, oh dear Johnston,
Make haste and don't waste time
If you have killed that Young Colonel
You're no dear brother of mine.
He mounted up his milk white steed
And rode like lightning o'er the lea
Until he came to his true love's abode
And he tinkled at the pin.
"Oh Johnston, dear, I had a dream,
And I hope it's for your good.
They're after you with hounds and hawks
And the Young Colonel is dead."
Oh Margaret dear your dream is true
Can I come in and rest my head
They're after me with hounds and hawks
And your own dear brother is dead.
Oh Johnston dear, oh dear Johnston,
Come in and take a sleep
What care I for the Young Colonel
When your own dear body is mine.
They were nor through nor up the stairs,
No time to take a sleep
When four and twenty belted knights
Came charging at the gate.
"Oh did you see a bloody knight
For he was just taking this way
We're after him both day and night
For free he must not be.
[Bloody was his hawk, he said
And bloody was his hound,
And bloody was his milk white steed
That carried him o'er the lea.] *
My parlor's full of gentlemen
My barn's full of hay
I have not seen no bloody knight
I've no room for him to stay.
"Alight, alight, dear gentlemen,
And have some bread and wine.
If you flew so swiftly o'er the lea
He's passed the bridge o Tyne."
"Oh thank you for your bread, my dear
And thank you for your wine,
But I would give all broad Scotland
That your own dear body was mine."
Arise, arise, oh dear Johnston
Arise and breast(?) no more
For there's four and twenty belted knights
A-seeking you at my door.
For Johnston drew his good broad sword,
That lay down by his side,
And he thrust it through his own true love
And she dropped down to the floor.
Oh Johnston, dear, what have you done
You'd no (need) to kill me
For I had given you all my father's land
And all my mother's fee.
"Oh live, oh live, oh dear true love,"
Oh live for one more hour.
And there's not a leech in all the land
That I'll have at your bower"
Oh Johnston dear, how can I live
Even for one hour
Can't you see that my true heart's blood
Goes trickling o'er the floor.
Oh Margaret dear, what have I done
For true this cannot be
I'd rather die along with you
As part once more from thee.
So it's in he pierced his own true heart
And fell down by her side
And clutching his true love in his arms
That's how they both have died.
* Cathie missed these two verses when singing it but recited them in the conversation after.
