“Alas! what is become of them? 
  These fears can never be endured;
  I’ll to the wood.”—­The word scarce said,
  Did Susan rise up from her bed, 425
  As if by magic cured.

  Away she goes [34] up hill and down,
  And to the wood at length is come;
  She spies her Friends, she shouts a greeting;
  Oh me! it is a merry meeting 430
  As ever was in Christendom.

  The owls have hardly sung their last,
  While our four travellers homeward wend;
  The owls have hooted all night long,
  And with the owls began my song, 435
  And with the owls must end.

  For while they all were travelling home,
  Cried Betty, “Tell us, Johnny, do,
  Where all this long night you have been,
  What you have heard, what you have seen:  440
  And, Johnny, mind you tell us true.”

  Now Johnny all night long had heard
  The owls in tuneful concert strive;
  No doubt too he the moon had seen;
  For in the moonlight he had been 445
  From eight o’clock till five.

  And thus, to Betty’s question, he
  Made answer, like a traveller bold,
  (His very words I give to you,)
  “The cocks did crow to-whoo, to-whoo, 450
  And the sun did shine so cold!”
 —­Thus answered Johnny in his glory,
  And that was all his travel’s story.

* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1: 

1827.

    He shouts from ... 1798.]

[Variant 2:  Inserted in the editions 1798 to 1820.

    Beneath the moon that shines so bright,
    Till she is tired, let Betty Foy
    With girt and stirrup fiddle-faddle;
    But wherefore set upon a saddle
    Him whom she loves, her idiot boy?]

[Variant 3: 

1836.

    There’s scarce a soul that’s out of bed; 1798.]

[Variant 4:  Inserted in the editions 1798 to 1820.

    The world will say ’tis very idle,
    Bethink you of the time of night;
    There’s not a mother, no not one,
    But when she hears what you have done,
    Oh!  Betty she’ll be in a fright.]

[Variant 5: 

1836.

    Has up upon the saddle set, 1798.]

[Variant 6: 

1820.

    ... that’s in the dale, 1798.]

[Variant 7: 

1827.

    ... bough’s ... 1798.]

[Variant 8: 

1827.

    And Betty’s standing at the door,
    And Betty’s face with joy o’erflows, 1798.]

[Variant 9: 

1820.

    And Johnny’s in a merry tune, 1798.]

[Variant 10: 

1827.

    And ... 1798.]