WILLIE AND MAY MARGARET. A FRAGMENT obtained by Jamieson from the recitation of Mrs. Brown, of Falkland. Popular Ballads, i. 135. In connection with this we give the complete story from Buchan. "GIE corn to my horse, mither; For I maun gang to Margaret's bower, "O stay at hame now, my son Willie ! "O tho' the nicht were ever sae dark, 10 "O gin ye gang to May Margaret, Without the leave of me, Clyde's water's wide and deep enough ;- 15 My malison drown thee!" He mounted on his coal-black steed, And fast he rade awa'; But, ere he came to Clyde's water, Fu' loud the wind did blaw. As he rode o'er yon hich, hich hill, Wad fear'd a hunder men. 20 His heart was warm, his pride was up; 25 Sweet Willie kentna fear; But yet his mither's malison Ay sounded in his ear. O he has swam through Clyde's water, And he came to May Margaret's door, O he's gane round and round about, But doors were steek'd, and window's bar'd, And nane wad let him in. 30 35 open the door to me, Margaret,— O open and lat me in! For my boots are full o' Clyde's water, "I darena open the door to you, Nor darena lat you in; For my mither she is fast asleep, And I darena mak nae din." "O gin ye winna open the door, Now tell me o' some out-chamber, "Ye canna win in this nicht, Willie, Nor here ye canna be; For I've nae chambers out nor in, 40 45 50 "The tane o' them is fu' o' corn, The tither is fu' o' hay; The tither is fu' o' merry young men ;— 55 They winna remove till day." 'O fare ye weel, then, May Margaret, Sin better manna be; I've win my mither's malison, Coming this nicht to thee." 60 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; "Gie corn to my horse, mother; And meat to my young man ; "O bide this night wi' me, Willie, The best an' cock o' a' the reest, At your supper shall be. |