Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 140.
| 1 |
Willie stands in his stable-door,
And clapping at his steed,
And looking oer his white fingers
His nose began to bleed. |
| 2 |
'Gie corn to my horse, mother,
And meat to my young man,
And I'll awa to Maggie's bower;
I'll win ere she lie down.' |
| 3 |
'O bide this night wi me, Willie,
O bide this night wi me;
The best an cock o a' the reest
At your supper shall be.' |
| 4 |
'A' your cocks, and a' your reests,
I value not a prin,
For I'll awa to Meggie's bower;
I'll win ere she lie down.' |
| 5 |
'Stay this night wi me, Willie,
O stay this night wi me;
The best an sheep in a' the flock
At your supper shall be.' |
| 6 |
'A' your sheep, and a' your flocks,
I value not a prin,
For I'll awa' to Meggie's bower;
I'll win ere she lie down.' |
| 7 |
'O an ye gang to Meggie's bower,
Sae sair against my will,
The deepest pot in Clyde's water,
My malison ye's feel.' |
| 8 |
'The guid steed that I ride upon
Cost me thrice thretty pound;
And I'll put trust in his swift feet
To hae me safe to land.' |
| 9 |
As he rade ower yon high, high hill,
And down yon dowie den,
The noise that was in Clyde's water
Woud feard five huner men. |
| 10 |
'O roaring Clyde, ye roar ower loud,
Your streams seem wondrous strang;
Make me your wreck as I come back,
But spare me as I gang!' |
| 11 |
Then he is on to Maggie's bower,
And tirled at the pin;
'O sleep ye, wake ye, Meggie,' he said,
'Ye'll open, lat me come in.' |
| 12 |
'O wha is this at my bower-door,
That calls me by my name?'
'It is your first love, sweet Willie,
This night newly come hame.' |
| 13 |
'I hae few lovers thereout, thereout,
As few hae I therein;
The best an love that ever I had
Was here jusr late yestreen.' |
| 14 |
'The warstan stable in a' your stables,
For my puir steed to stand!
The warstan bower in a' your bowers,
For me to lie therin!
My boots are fu o Clyde's water,
I'm shivering at the chin.' |
| 15 |
'My barns are fu o corn, Willie,
My stables are fu o hay;
My bowers are fu o gentlemen,
They'll nae remove till day.' |
| 16 |
'O fare ye well, my fause Meggie,
O farewell, and adieu!
I've gotten my mither's malison
This night coming to you.' |
| 17 |
As he rode ower yon high, high hill,
And down yon dowie den,
The rushing that was in Clyde's water
Took Willie's cane frae him. |
| 18 |
He leand him ower his saddle-bow,
To catch his cane again;
The rushing that was in Clyde's water
Took Willie's hat frae him. |
| 19 |
He leand him ower his saddle-bow,
To catch his hat thro force;
The rushing that was in Clyde's water
Took Willie frae his horse. |
| 20 |
His brither stood upo the bank,
Says, Fye, man, will ye drown?
Ye'll turn ye to your high horse head
And learn how to sowm. |
| 21 |
'How can I turn to my horse head
And learn how to sowm?
I've gotten my mither's malison,
It's here that I maun drown.' |
| 22 |
The very hour this young man sank
Into the pot sae deep,
Up it wakend his love Meggie
Out o her drowsy sleep. |
| 23 |
'Come here, come here, my mither dear,
And read this dreary dream;
I dreamd my love was at our gates,
And nane wad let him in.' |
| 24 |
'Lye still, lye still now, my Meggie,
Lye still and tak your rest;
Sin your true-love was at your yates,
It's but twa quarters past.' |
| 25 |
Nimbly, nimbly raise she up,
And nimbly pat she on,
And the higher that the lady cried,
The louder blew the win. |
| 26 |
The first an step that she steppd in,
She stepped to the queet;
'Ohon, alas!' said that lady,
'This water's wondrous deep.' |
| 27 |
The next an step that she wade in,
She wadit to the knee;
Says she, 'I coud wide farther in,
If I my love coud see.' |
| 28 |
The next an step that she wade in,
She wadit to the chin;
The deepest pot in Clyde's water
She got sweet Willie in. |
| 29 |
'You've had a cruel mither, Willie,
And I have had anither;
But we shall sleep in Clyde's water
Like sister an like brither.' |
