| |
| ANNAN WATER’S 1 wading deep, | |
| And my Love Annie’s wondrous bonny; | |
| And I am loath she should wet her feet, | |
| Because I love her best of ony. | |
| |
| He’s loupen on his bonny grey, | 5 |
| He rode the right gate and the ready; | |
| For all the storm he wadna stay, | |
| For seeking of his bonny lady. | |
| |
| And he has ridden o’er field and fell, | |
| Through moor, and moss, and many a mire; | 10 |
| His spurs of steel were sair to bide, | |
| And from her four feet flew the fire. | |
| |
| ‘My bonny grey, now play your part! | |
| If ye be the steed that wins my dearie, | |
| With corn and hay ye’ll be fed for aye, | 15 |
| And never spur shall make you wearie.’ | |
| |
| The grey was a mare, and a right gude mare; | |
| But when she wan the Annan Water, | |
| She could not have ridden the ford that night | |
| Had a thousand merks been wadded at her. | 20 |
| |
| ‘O boatman, boatman, put off your boat, | |
| Put off your boat for golden money!’ | |
| But for all the gold in fair Scotland, | |
| He dared not take him through to Annie. | |
| |
| ‘O I was sworn so late yestreen, | 25 |
| Not by a single oath, but mony! | |
| I’ll cross the drumly stream to-night, | |
| Or never could I face my honey.’ | |
| |
| The side was stey, and the bottom deep, | |
| From bank to brae the water pouring; | 30 |
| The bonny grey mare she swat for fear, | |
| For she heard the water-kelpy roaring. | |
| |
| He spurr’d her forth into the flood, | |
| I wot she swam both strong and steady; | |
| But the stream was broad, and her strength did fail, | 35 |
| And he never saw his bonny lady! | |
