There is no need of boot or spur, There is no need of whip or wand, And with a hurly-burly now He shakes the green bough in his hand. And Betty o'er and o'er has told The Boy who is her best delight, Both what to follow, what to shun, And Betty's most especial charge, "Come home again, nor stop at all, "My Johnny do, I pray you do." To this did Johnny answer make, Both with his head, and with his hand, And proudly shook the bridle too, And then his words were not a few, Which Betty well could understand. And now that Johnny is just going, But when the Pony moved his legs, And while the Pony moves his legs, His heart it was so full of glee, And Betty's standing at the door, The silence of her Idiot Boy, What hopes it sends to Betty's heart! He's at the Guide-post-he turns right, She watches till he's out of sight, And Betty will not then depart. Burr, burr-now Johnny's lips they burr, As loud as any mill, or near it, Meek as a lamb the Pony moves, And Johnny makes the noise he loves, Away she hies to Susan Gale : And Johnny's in a merry tune, The Owlets hoot, the Owlets curr, And Johnny's lips they burr, burr, burr, And on he goes beneath the Moon. His Steed and He right well agree, But then he is a Horse that thinks ! And when he thinks his pace is slack; Now, though he knows poor Johnny well, Yet for his life he cannot tell What he has got upon his back. So through the moonlight lanes they go, And by the church, and o'er the down, To comfort poor old Susan Gale. |