Classic Poem

Young Willie stands in his stable door,
And combing down his steed;
And looking through his white fingers,
His nose began to bleed;
And looking through his white fingers,
His nose began to bleed.

Gie corn to my horse, mother,
And meat unto my man,
For I'm awa to Maggie's bowers;
I'll win or she lie doon.

Oh bide this nicht wi' me, Willie,
Oh bide this nicht wi' me;
The besten cock o' a' the reest
At your supper shall be.

A' your cocks an' a' your reests
I value nae a prin;
But I'll awa to Maggie's bowers,
I'll win or she lie doon.

Oh stay at hame, my Willie dear,
Oh stay at hame wi' me,
And the best fed lamb in a' my flock
Shall be weel dressed for thee.

A' your sheep an' a' your flocks
I value nae a prin;
But I'll awa to Maggie's bowers,
I'll win or she lie doon.

Oh an ye gang to Maggie's bowers
Sae sair against my will,
The deepest pot in Clyde's waters
My malison ye'se feel.

It's I've a steed in my stable
Cost me twice twenty pound,
And I'll put trust in his four legs
To carry me safe to land.

As he rade owre yon high high hill
And doon yon dreary glen,
The noise that was in Clyde's waters
Wad feared a thousand men.

Oh spare me, spare me, Clyde's waters,
Oh spare me as I gang;
Make me your wrack as I come back,
But spare me as I gang.

Then he is on to Maggie's bowers,
And tirlin' at the pin:
Oh sleep ye, wauk ye, Maggie dear,
Oh rise and lat me in.

Oh wha is that at my bower door,
And tirlin' at the pin?
It's I, it's I, your true love Willie,
Oh rise and lat me in.

I hae few lovers thereout, thereout,
As few hae I therein;
The besten love that e'er I had
He was here just late yestreen.

The meanest sta' in a' your stable
For my steed to stand in;
The soberest bed in a' your house
Myself for to lie in;
For my boots are fu' o' Clyde's water
And I'm shivering at the chin.

My stables they are fu' o' horse,
And my barns fu' o' hay;
My bowers are fu' o' gentlemen,
And they'll nae remove till day.

He turned his horse right round about,
Wi' the saut tear in his e'e:
I never thocht to come here this nicht,
And be denied by thee.

Oh fare-ye-weel, ye fause Maggie,
Since better maunna be;
I've gotten my mither's malison
This nicht, comin' to thee.

As he rade owre yon high high hill,
And down yon dreary glen,
The rush that was in Clyde's waters
Took Willie's cane frae him.

As Willie he sat saddle owre
To catch the cane again,
The rush that ran in Clyde's waters
Took Willie's hat frae him.

He leaned him owre his saddle bow
To catch his hat through force,
But the rush that ran in Clyde's waters
Took Willie frae his horse.

His brither stood upo' the bank,
Cries, Willie, will ye droon?
Oh, haud ye to your high horse heid,
He'll learn ye how to soom.

How can I haud to my horse heid
And learn how to soom?
I've gotten my mither's malison,
It's here that I maun droon.

It's up arose his Maggie dear,
All in a frightful dream:
I dreamt that Willie was here this nicht,
And ye wadna lat him in.

Go to your bed, my daughter dear,
Lie doon and tak' your rest;
Sin' your true love was at our yetts
It's but twa quarters past.

To her chamber she has gane wi' speed,
And quickly pat she on;
And she is aff to Clyde's waters
As fast as she can run.

When she came to the water's side
Right boldly stepped she in;
And loud her true love's name she called,
But louder blew the win'.

The firsten step that she stept in,
She steppit to the queet;
Ohon, alas, said that lady,
This water's wondrous deep.

The nexten step that she wade in,
She wadit to the knee;
Says she, I would wade further in,
Gin my love I could see.

The nexten step that she wade in,
She wadit to the chin;
The deepest pot in Clyde's waters
She got sweet Willie in.

Ye've had a cruel mither, Willie,
And I have had anither;
But we shall sleep in Clyde's waters
Like sister and like brither.