1 'There are sixteen lang miles, I'm sure,
Between my love and me;
There are eight o them in gude dry land,
And other eight by sea.
2 'Betide me life, betide me death,
My love I'll gang and see;
Altho her friends they do me hate,
Her love is great for me.
3 'Of my coat I'll make a boat,
And o my sark a sail,
And o my cane a gude tapmast,
Dry land till I come till.'
4 Then o his coat he's made a boat,
And o his sark a sail;
And o his cane a gude tapmast,
Dry land till he came till.
5 He is on to Annie's bower-door,
And tirled at the pin:
'O sleep ye, wake ye, my love, Annie,
Ye'll rise, lat me come in.'
6 'O who is this at my bower-door,
Sae well that kens my name?'
'It is your true-love, Sweet Willie,
For you I've crossd the faem.'
7 'I am deeply sworn, Willie,
By father and by mother;
At kirk or market where we meet,
We darna own each other.
8 'And I am deeply sworn, Willie,
By my bauld brothers three;
At kirk or market where we meet.
I darna speak to thee.'