Stories of the Scottish Border — Chapter 16 Johnie of Breadislee

*Johnie of Breadislee* Johnie of Breadislee, outlaw and deer-stealer, was one of the "broken men," as they were called, the Ishmaels of the Border.

Johnie rose up one May morning, and called for water to wash his hands.

He ordered to be unleashed his good grey dogs, that were bound with iron chains.

When his mother heard that he had called for the dogs, she wrung her hands.

"O Johnie!"

she cried, "for my blessing, do not go to the greenwood to-day.

Ye have enough of good wheat bread, enough blood-red wine, therefore, Johnie, I pray, stir not from home for any venison."

But despite his mother's tears, Johnie busked up his good bent bow, and his arrows, and went off to Durrisdeer to hunt down the dun deer.

As he came by Merriemass he espied a deer lying beneath a bush of furze.

Johnie let fly an arrow, and the deer leapt as the pitiless shaft found its mark, and between the water and the brae his good hounds "laid her pride."

So Johnie cut up the venison, giving the liver and lungs to his faithful hounds, as if they had been earl's sons.

With such zest did they eat and drink that Johnie and the dogs fell asleep, as if they had been dead.

Then as they lay, there came by a silly old man, and, as soon as he saw the poachers, he ran away to Hislinton, where the Seven Foresters were.

"What news?"

they asked.

"What news bring ye, ye grey-headed carle?"

"I bring no news," said the grey-headed carle, "save what my eyes did see.

As I came down by Merrimass among the stunted trees, the bonniest child I ever saw lay asleep among his dogs.

The shirt upon his back was of fine Holland, his doubtlet, over that, was of Lincoln twine, his buttons were of the good gold, the mouths of his good grey hounds were dyed with blood."

Now Johnie, like many another free-hearted outlaw, was a well-liked man.

So the chief forester said, "If this be Johnie of Breadislee we will draw no nearer."

But this was not the spirit of his men.

Quoth the sixth Forester, "If it indeed be he, rather let us slay him."

Cautiously they went through the thicket, and when they saw their man, asleep and helpless, they shot a flight of arrows.

Johnie sprang up, sore wounded on the knee.

The seventh forester cried out, "The next flight will kill him," but little chance did the outlaw give them for such an easy victory.

He set his back against an oak and propped his wounded leg upon a stone; with bow or with sword he was a better man by far than any of his foes.

In the short, sharp fight that followed, he killed six of the foresters, some with arrow, and some with steel; and when the seventh turned to flee, Johnie seized him from behind and threw him on to the ground with a force that broke three of his ribs.

Then he laid him on his steed, and bade him carry the tidings home.

[Illustration: _Johnie of Breadislee_] But Johnie himself was hurt to death.

"Is there no bonnie singing bird," he cried, "that can fly to my mother's bower and tell her to fetch Johnie away?"

A starling flew to his mother's window sill, and sang and whistled, and the burden of its tune was ever the same.

"Johnie tarries long."

So the men made a litter from rods of the hazel bush and of the thorn and fetched Johnie away.

Then his old mother's tears flowed fast, and she said, "Ye would not be warned, my son Johnie, to bide away from the hunting.

Oft have I brought to Breadislee the less or greater gear, but never what grieved my heart so sorely.

But woe betide that silly old grey-headed carle!

An ill death shall he die!

The highest tree in Merriemass shall be his reward."

"Now Johnie's gude bent bow is brake, And his gude grey dogs are slain, And his body lies dead in Durrisdeer, And his hunting it is done."

*Chapter XVII*