He's mounted on his coal-black steed,—
O but his heart was wae!
But, ere he came to Clyde's water,
'Twas half up o'er the brae.
* * * * * * *
—— he plunged in,
But never raise again.
THE DROWNED LOVERS.
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, i. 140. The copy in the Appendix to Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. iii., is nearly the same.
Willie stands in his stable door,
And clapping at his steed;
And looking o'er his white fingers,
His nose began to bleed.
"Gie corn to my horse, mother;5
And meat to my young man;
And I'll awa' to Meggie's bower,
I'll win ere she lie down."
"O bide this night wi' me, Willie,
O bide this night wi' me;10
The best an' cock o' a' the reest,
At your supper shall be.