[Verse 1]
Oh, Johnny rose on a May morning
Called for water to wash his hands
Says “Bring to me my two grey dogs
Ay bound in iron bands.”

[Verse 2]
When Johnny's mother she heard of this
She wrung her hands full sore
Says “Johnny, for your venison
To the green woods do not go.”

[Verse 3]
“For there are seven foresters in Esslemont
And this you know full well
For one small drop of your heart’s blood
They would ride through the gates of Hell.”

[Verse 4]
“Oh, there's many men are my friends, mother
Though many more are my foe
And betide me well or betide me ill
A-hunting I will go.”

[Verse 5]
So Johnny has taken his good benbow
His arrows one by one
And he's away to Monymusk
For to bring the dun deer down
[Verse 6]
Oh, Johnny shot and the dun deer leapt
He’s wounded her in the side
And between the waters and the woods
The two dogs laid her pride

[Verse 7]
And they ate so much of the venison
They drank so much of the blood
That Johnny and his two grey dogs
Fell asleep as if they had been dead

[Verse 8]
And by there came a sly old man
A sly old man was he
And he's away to Esslemont
For to tell on young Johnny

[Verse 9]
“As I came in by Monymusk
And down among yon scroggs
It was there I spied the bonniest dude
Lying sleeping between two dogs.”

[Verse 10]
“And the buttons that were on his coat
Were of the gold so good
And the two grey dogs that he lay between
Their mouths they were dyed with blood.”
[Verse 11]
And up and spoke the first forester
He was headsman over them all
“Can this be Johnny of Brady's Lea?
Unto him we will draw.”

[Verse 12]
And the very first shot that the foresters fired
It wounded him in the thigh
And the very next shot that the foresters fired
His heart's blood blinded his eye

[Verse 13]
Then up woke Johnny from out of his sleep
An angry man was he
He says, “The wildest wolf in all this wood
Would not have done so by me."

[Verse 14]
And he's leaned his back against an oak
His foot against a stone
And he has fired on the seven foresters
He's killed them all but one

[Verse 15]
And he's broken seven of this man's ribs
His arm and his collarbone
And he has set him onto his horse
To bring the tidings home
[Verse 16]
Johnny’s good benbow is broke
And his two grey dogs are slain
And his body lies in Monymusk
And his hunting days are done