THE DROWNED LOVERS
Ye gie corn unto my horse,
An' meat unto my man;
For I will gae to my true love's gates
This night, that I can win."
"O stay at hame this ae night, Willy,
This ae bare night wi' me;
The best bed in a' my house
Shall be well made to thee."
"I carena for your beds, mither,
I carena a pin;
For I'll gae to my love's gates
This night, gin I can win."
4 Oh stay, my son Willy, this night,
This ae night wi' me;
The best hen in a' my roost
Shall be well made ready for thee."
"I carena for your hens, mither,
I carena a pin;
I shall gae to my love's gates
This night, gin I can win."
"Gin ye winna stay, my son Willy,
This ae bare night wi' me,
Gin Clyde's water's be deep and fu' o' flood,
My malison drown thee!"
He rade up yon high hill,
And down yon dowie den,
The roaring of Clyde's water
Wad hae fleyed ten thousand men.
"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!"
He rade in, and farther in,
Till he came to the chin;
And he rade in, and farther in,
Till he came to dry land.
And when he came to his love's gates,
He tirled at the pin.
"Open your gates, Meggie,
Open your gates to me;
For my boots are fu' o' Clyde's water
And the rain rains ower my chin."
"I hae nae lovers thereout," she says,
"I hae nae love within;
My true-love is in my arms twa,
An' nane will I let in."
(den, hollow.)
"Open your gates, Meggie, this ae night,
Open your gates to me;
For Clydes water is fu' o' flood,
And my mother's malison 'll drown me."
"Ane o' my chambers is fu' o' corn,
An ane is fu' o' hay;
Another is fu' o' gentlemen;—
An' they winna move till day."
Out waked her may Meggie,
Out of her drowsy dream.
"I dreamed a dream sin the yestreen,
God read a' dreams to guid,
That my true love Willy
Was staring at my bed-feet."
"Lay still, lay still, my ae dochter,
An keep my back frae the call,
For it's na the space o' half an hour,
Sen he gaed frae your hall.''
An' hey Willy, and hoa, Willy,
Winna ye turn agen;
But aye the louder that she cried,
He rade against the win'.
He rade up yon high hill,
And doun yon dowie den;
The roaring that was in Clyde's water,
Wad ha fleyed ten thousand men.
(read explain. call, cold.)
He rade in, an' farther in,
Till he came to the chin;
An' he rade in, an' further in,
But never mair was seen.
There was na mair seen o' that guid lord,
But his hat frae his head;
There was na more seen of that lady,
But her comb and her snood.
There waders went up and doun,
Eddying Clyde's water;
Have done us wrang.