The Text Is From Herd'S Mss., As Given By Professor Child To Form A Regular Sequence. The Ballad Also Exists In An English Broadside Form. The Story Of The Ballad Has A Close Counterpart In Flemish Belgium, And In Southern France. The German Variants, However, Have A Curious History. The English Broadside Ballad Was Translated Into German By F. W. Meyer In 1789, And In This Form Gained Such Popularity That It Was Circulated Not Only As A Broadside, But Actually In Oral Tradition,--With The Usual Result Of Alteration. Its Vogue Was Not Confined To Germany, But Spread To Hungary And Scandinavia, A Swedish Broadside Appearing Within Ten Years Of Meyer'S Translation. Our Goodman 1. Hame Came Our Goodman, And Hame Came He, And Then He Saw A Saddle-Horse, Where Nae Horse Should Be. 2. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came This Horse Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' Recitative. 'A Horse?' Quo' She. 'Ay, A Horse,' Quo' He. 3. 'Shame Fa' Your Cuckold Face, Ill Mat Ye See! 'Tis Naething But A Broad Sow, My Minnie Sent To Me.' 'A Broad Sow?' Quo' He. 'Ay, A Sow,' Quo' Shee. 4. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But A Saddle On A Sow'S Back I Never Saw Nane.' 5. Hame Came Our Goodman, And Hame Came He; He Spy'D A Pair Of Jack-Boots, Where Nae Boots Should Be. 6. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came These Boots Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' 'Boots?' Quo' She. 'Ay, Boots,' Quo' He. 7. 'Shame Fa' Your Cuckold Face, And Ill Mat Ye See! It's But A Pair Of Water-Stoups, My Minnie Sent To Me.' 'Water-Stoups?' Quo' He. 'Ay, Water-Stoups,' Quo' She. 8. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But Siller Spurs On Water-Stoups I Saw Never Nane.' 9. Hame Came Our Goodman, And Hame Came He, And He Saw A Sword, Whare A Sword Should Na Be. 10. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came This Sword Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' 'A Sword?' Quo' She. 'Ay, A Sword,' Quo' He. 11. 'Shame Fa' Your Cuckold Face, Ill Mat Ye See! It's But A Porridge-Spurtle, My Minnie Sent To Me.' 'A Spurtle?' Quo' He. 'Ay, A Spurtle,' Quo' She. 12. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But Siller-Handed Spurtles I Saw Never Nane.' 13. Hame Came Our Goodman, And Hame Came He; There He Spy'D A Powder'D Wig, Where Nae Wig Shoud Be. 14. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came This Wig Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' 'A Wig?' Quo' She. 'Ay, A Wig,' Quo' He. 15. 'Shame Fa' Your Cuckold Face, And Ill Mat You See! 'Tis Naething But A Clocken-Hen, My Minnie Sent To Me.' 'Clocken Hen?' Quo' He. 'Ay, Clocken Hen,' Quo' She. 16. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But Powder On A Clocken-Hen I Saw Never Nane.' 17. Hame Came Our Goodman, And Hame Came He, And There He Saw A Muckle Coat, Where Nae Coat Shoud Be. 18. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came This Coat Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' 'A Coat?' Quo' She. 'Ay, A Coat,' Quo' He. 19. 'Shame Fa' Your Cuckold Face, Ill Mat Ye See! It's But A Pair O' Blankets, My Minnie Sent To Me.' 'Blankets?' Quo' He. 'Ay, Blankets,' Quo' She. 20. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But Buttons Upon Blankets I Saw Never Nane.' 21. Ben Went Our Goodman, And Ben Went He, And There He Spy'D A Sturdy Man, Where Nae Man Shoud Be. 22. 'What's This Now, Goodwife? What's This I See? How Came This Man Here, Without The Leave O' Me?' 'A Man?' Quo' She. 'Ay, A Man,' Quo' He. 23. 'Poor Blind Body, And Blinder Mat Ye Be! It's A New Milking-Maid, My Mither Sent To Me.' 'A Maid?' Quo' He. 'Ay, A Maid,' Quo' She. 24. 'Far Hae I Ridden, And Farer Hae I Gane, But Lang-Bearded Maidens I Saw Never Nane.'