Skene Manuscript, p. 50; taken down from recitation in the
north of Scotland, 1802-3.
| 1 |
'Ye gie corn unto my horse,
An meat unto my man,
For I will gae to my true-love's gates
This night, gin that I can.' |
| 2 |
'O stay at hame this ae night, Willie,
This ae bare night wi me;
The best bed in a' my house
Sall be well made to thee.' |
| 3 |
'I carena for your beds, mither,
I carena ae pin,
For I'll gae to my love's gates
This night, gin I can win.' |
| 4 |
'O stay, my son Willie, this night,
This ae night wi me;
The best hen in a' my roost
Sall be well made ready for thee.' |
| 5 |
'I carena for your hens, mither,
I carena ae pin;
I sall gae to my love's gates
This night, gin I can win.' |
| 6 |
'Gin ye winna stay, my son Willie,
This ae bare night wi me,
Gin Clyde's water be deep and fu o flood,
My malisen drown ye!' |
| 7 |
He rode up yon high hill,
An down yon dowie glen;
The roaring of Clyde's water
Wad hae fleyt ten thousand men. |
| 8 |
'O spare me, Clyde's water,
O spare me as I gae!
Mak me your wrack as I come back,
But spare me as I gae!' |
| 9 |
He rade in, and farther in,
Till he came to the chin;
And he rade in, and farther in,
Till he came to dry lan. |
| 10 |
An whan he came to his love's gates,
He tirled at the pin:
'Open your gates, Meggie,
Open your gates to me,
For my beets are fu o Clyde's water,
And the rain rains oure my chin.' |
| 11 |
'I hae nae lovers therout,' she says,
'I hae nae love within;
My true-love is in my arms twa,
An nane will I lat in.' |
| 12 |
'Open your gates, Meggie, this ae night,
Open your gates to me;
For Clyde's water is fu o flood,
An my mither's malison 'll drown me.' |
| 13 |
'Ane o my chamers is fu o corn,' she says,
'An ane is fu o hay;
Anither is fu o Gentlemen,
An they winna move till day.' |
| 14 |
Out waked her May Meggie,
Out o her drousy dream:
'I dreamed a dream sin the yestreen,
God read a' dreams to guid!
That my true-love Willie
Was staring at my bed-feet.' |
| 15 |
'Now lay ye still, my ae dochter,
An keep my back fra the call,
For it's na the space of hafe an hour
Sen he gad fra yer hall.' |
| 16 |
'An hey, Willie, an hoa, Willie,
Winne ye turn agen?'
But ay the louder that she crayed
He rod agenst the wind. |
| 17 |
He rod up yon high hill,
An doun yon douey den;
The roring that was in Clid[e]'s water
Wad ha flayed ten thousand men. |
| 18 |
He road in, an farder in,
Till he came to the chine;
An he road in, an farder in,
Bat neuer mare was seen.
* * * * * |
| 19 |
Ther was na mare seen of that guid lord
Bat his hat frae his head;
Ther was na mare seen of that lady
Bat her comb an her sneed. |
| 20 |
Ther waders went up an doun
Eadying Claid's water
Hav don us wrang |
