[Verse 1]
Johnny got up on a May mornin
Called for water tae wash his hands
Says, "Gae lowse tae me ma twa gray dugs
That lie in iron bands, bands
That lie in iron bands."

[Verse 2]
Johnny's mother she heard o this
Her hands for dule she wrang
Sayin, "Johnny, for yer venison
Tae the greenwood dinnae gang, gang
Tae the greenwood dinnae gang."

[Verse 3]
But Johnny has taen his guid benbow
His arrows one by one
And he's awa tae the greenwood gaen
Tae ding the dun deer doun, doun
Tae ding the dun deer doun

[Verse 4]
Now Johnny shot and the dun deer lapt
And he wounded her in the side
And there between the water and the woods
The grey hounds laid her pride, her pride
The grey hounds laid her pride
[Verse 5]
They ate sae much o the venison
They drank sae much o the bluid
That Johnny and his twa gray dugs
Fell asleep as though were deid, were deid
Fell asleep as though were deid

[Verse 6]
Then by there cam a silly auld man
An ill death may he dee
For he's awa tae Esslemont
The seven foresters for tae see, tae see
The foresters for tae see

[Verse 7]
As A cam in by Monymusk
Doun among yon scruggs
Well, there I spied the bonniest youth
Lyin sleepin atween twa dugs, twa dugs
Lyin sleepin atween twa dugs

[Verse 8]
The buttons that were upon his sleeve
Were o the gowd sae guid
And the twa grey hounds that he lay between
Their mous were dyed wi bluid, wi bluid
Their mous were dyed wi bluid
[Verse 9]
Then up and jumps the first forester
He was captain o them aw
Sayin, "If that be Jock o Braidislee
Unto him we'll draw, we'll draw
Unto him we'll draw."

[Verse 10]
The first shot that the foresters fired
It hit Johnny on the knee
And the second shot that the foresters fired
His hert's bluid blint his ee, his ee
His hert's bluid blint his ee

[Verse 11]
Then up jumps Johnny fae oot o his sleep
And an angry man was he
Sayin, "Ye micht hae waukent me fae my sleep
Ere my hert's bluid blint my ee, my ee
Ere my hert's bluid blint my ee."

[Verse 12]
But he's rested his back against an oak
His fit upon a stane
For he has fired at the seven o them
He's killed them aw but ane, but ane
He's killed them aw but ane
[Verse 13]
He's broken four o that one's ribs
His airm and his collar bane
And he has set him upon his horse
Wi the tidings sent him hame, hame
Wi the tidings sent him hame

[Verse 14]
But Johnny's guid benbow is broke
His twa gray dugs are slain
And his body lies in Monymusk
His huntin days are daen, are daen
His huntin days are daen