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Clyde's Water


Willie stood at the stable door
A-leanin owre his steed,
A-looking at his white fingers
Till his nose began tae bleed.

Oh bring some corn to my horse
And gie my young man meat,
And I'll awa tae Maggie's bower
I'll be there afore she sleeps.

Oh Willie, Willie dinna gyang
It's sair against my will.
Ye've the deepest pot in the Clyde tae cross,
An it's there that ye will droon.

The horse that I'm to ride upon
Cost me twice thirty pound,
An I'll put trust in ma ain horse heels
And he'll carry me safe and soun.

So he rade o'er hills an rade doon dales
And doon yon dowie den,
But the rush that rose in Clyde's water
Wad have feared a hundred men.

Oh Clyde, ye Clyde, ye rollin Clyde,
Yer waves are wondrous strong;
Mak me a wreck as I come back,
But spare me as I gyang.

Oh Maggie, Maggie, Maggie dear
Oh rise an lat me in,
For my boots are fu o Clyde's water,
An I'm shivrin tae the skin.

My stables are full o horses,
My sheds are fu o hay;
My beds are fu o gentlemen
That winna leave till day.

Maggie wakened in the morning
An to her mother she ran;
Says, I dreamed that Willie was here last nicht
An I widnae lat him in.

So he rade o'er hills and he rade doon dales
An doon yon dowie den,
But the rush that rose in Clyde's water
Took Willie's cane fae him.

Leanin owre his saddle-bows
To catch his cane through force,
The rush that rose in Clyde's water
Took Willie fae his horse.

Willie's brother stands on the bank,
Now how can Willie droon?
Oh turn ye tae yer high horse heid
An he'll learn ye how to sweem.

'So sleepy ye, Maggie? Waukin, Maggie!
Rise, come lat me in.
For my boots are fu o Clyde water
An I'm soakin tae the skin.' 

'So who is that at my window,
So fain he would be in?'
'Tis yer own true lover Willie dear,
Frae Scotland he has come.'

'Tis I hae nae lover there-oot,' she cried,
'I hae nae lover but een.
It's the ae true love that I dae hae,
Was here late yestreen.'

'S'well fare ye well then, false Maggie,
Since better canna be.
Oh I'll awa the road I cam,
Nae mair come thee to see,'. . . 

His brother stands upon yonder banks,
Says, 'Fie man, will ye droon?
So turn ye roon t'yir high horse heid
An learn how to swim.'

'Oh why could I turn to my high horse head
An learn how to swim?
It's the deepest pot in a' the Clyde,
An here that I maun droon.'

' . . .Oh mother dear,
Come rede my drowsy dream,
I dreamt sweet Willie was at my gates:
Nae yin wid lat him in.'

''S lie still, lie still, my Maggie dear,
Lie still an tak your rest;
Since your true love was at your gates,
'Tis full three quarters past.'

But it's Maggie rose, put on her clothes,
An to the Clyde she went;
The first step noo that she took in
It took her tae the knee;
The next step noo that she took in
It took her tae the chin.
In the deepest pot in a' the Clyde
She found her Willie in.

'So you have got a cruel mother
And I have got another
But here we lie in Clyde Water,
Like sister and like brother.'


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