Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 245.
| 1 |
'O Willie is fair, and Willie is rare,
And Willie is wondrous bonny,
And willie says he'll marry me,
Gin ever he marry ony.' |
| 2 |
'O ye'se get James or ye'se get George,
Or ye'se get bonny Johnnie;
Ye'se get the flower o a' my sons,
Gin ye'll forsake my Willie.' |
| 3 |
'O what care I for James or George,
Or yet for bonny Peter?
I dinna value their love a leek,
An I getna Willie the writer. |
| 4 |
'O Willie has a bonny hand,
And dear but it is bonny!'
'He has nae mair for a' his land;
What woud ye do wi Willie?' |
| 5 |
'O Willie has a bonny face,
And dear but it is bonny!'
'But Willie has nae other grace;
What woud ye do wi Willie?' |
| 6 |
'Willie's fair, and Willie's rare,
And Willie's wondrous bonny;
There's nane wi him that can compare,
I love him best of ony.' |
| 7 |
On Wednesday, that fatal day,
The people were convening;
Besides all this, threescore and ten,
To gang to the bride-steel wi him. |
| 8 |
'Ride on, ride on, my merry men a',
I've forgot something behind me;
I've forgot to get my mother's blessing,
To gae to the bride-steel wi me.' |
| 9 |
'Your Peggy she's but bare fifteen,
And ye are scarcely twenty;
The water o Gamery is wide and braid;
My heavy curse gang wi thee!' |
| 10 |
Then they rode on, and further on,
Till they came on to Gamery;
The wind was loud, the stream was proud,
And wi the stream gaed Willie. |
| 11 |
Then they rode on, and further on,
Till they came to the kirk o Gamery;
And every one on high horse sat,
But Willie's horse rade toomly. |
| 12 |
When they were settled at that place,
The people fell a mourning,
And a council held amo them a',
But sair, sair wept Kinmundy. |
| 13 |
Then out it speaks the bride hersell,
Says, What means a' this mourning?
Where is the man amo them a'
That shoud gie me fair wedding? |
| 14 |
Then out it speaks his brother John,
Says, Meg, I'll tell you plainly;
The stream was strong, the clerk rade wrong,
And Willie's drownd in Gamery. |
| 15 |
She put her hand up to her head,
Where were the ribbons many;
She rave them a', let them down fa',
And straightway ran to Gamery. |
| 16 |
She sought it up, she sought it down,
Till she was wet and weary;
And in the middle part o it,
There she got her deary. |
| 17 |
Then she stroakd back his yellow hair,
And kissd his mou sae comely:
'My mother's heart's be as wae as thine!
We'se baith asleep in the water o Gamery.' |
