{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch216.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch216.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch216.htm","text":"216A.1 \u2018YE gie corn unto my horse,\nAn meat unto my man,\nFor I will gae to my true-love\u2019s gates\nThis night, gin that I can.\u2019\n216A.2 \u2018O stay at hame this ae night, Willie,\nThis ae bare night wi me;\nThe best bed in a\u2019 my house\nSall be well made to thee.\u2019\n216A.3 \u2018I carena for your beds, mither,\nI carena ae pin,\nFor I\u2019ll gae to my love\u2019s gates\nThis night, gin I can win.\u2019\n216A.4 \u2018O stay, my son Willie, this night,\nThis ae night wi me;\nThe best hen in a\u2019 my roost\nSall be well made ready for thee.\u2019\n216A.5 \u2018I carena for your hens, mither,\nI carena ae pin;\nI sall gae to my love\u2019s gates\nThis night, gin I can win.\u2019\n216A.6 \u2018Gin ye winna stay, my son Willie,\nThis ae bare night wi me,\nGin Clyde\u2019s water be deep and fu o flood,\nMy malisen drown ye!\u2019\n216A.7 He rode up yon high hill,\nAn down yon dowie glen;\nThe roaring of Clyde\u2019s water\nWad hae fleyt ten thousand men.\n216A.8 \u2018O spare me, Clyde\u2019s water,\nO spare me as I gae!\nMak me your wrack as I come back,\nBut spare me as I gae!\u2019\n216A.9 He rade in, and farther in,\nTill he came to the chin;\nAnd he rade in, and farther in,\nTill he came to dry lan.\n216A.10 An whan he came to his love\u2019s gates,\nHe tirled at the pin:\n\u2018Open your gates, Meggie,\nOpen your gates to me,\nFor my beets are fu o Clyde\u2019s water,\nAnd the rain rains oure my chin.\u2019\n216A.11 \u2018I hae nae lovers therout,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018I hae nae love within;\nMy true-love is in my arms twa,\nAn nane will I lat in.\u2019\n216A.12 \u2018Open your gates, Meggie, this ae night,\nOpen your gates to me;\nFor Clyde\u2019s water is fu o flood,\nAn my mither\u2019s malison \u2019ll drown me.\u2019\n216A.13 \u2018Ane o my chamers is fu o corn,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018An ane is fu o hay;\nAnither is fu o Gentlemen,\nAn they winna move till day.\u2019\n216A.14 Out waked her May Meggie,\nOut o her drousy dream:\n\u2018I dreamed a dream sin the yestreen,\nGod read a\u2019 dreams to guid!\nThat my true-love Willie\nWas staring at my bed-feet.\u2019\n216A.15 \u2018Now lay ye still, my ae dochter,\nAn keep my back fra the call,\nFor it\u2019s na the space of hafe an hour\nSen he gad fra yer hall.\u2019\n216A.16 \u2018An hey, Willie, an hoa, Willie,\nWinne ye turn agen?\u2019\nBut ay the louder that she crayed\nHe rod agenst the wind.\n216A.17 He rod up yon high hill,\nAn doun yon douey den;\nThe roring that was in Clid[e]\u2019s water\nWad ha flayed ten thousand men.\n216A.18 He road in, an farder in,\nTill he came to the chine;\nAn he road in, an farder in,\nBat neuer mare was seen.\n* * * * *\n216A.19 Ther was na mare seen of that guid lord\nBat his hat frae his head;\nTher was na mare seen of that lady\nBat her comb an her sneed.\n216A.20 Ther waders went up an doun\nEadying Claid\u2019s water\nHav don us wrang\n216B: The Mother\u2019s Malison, or, Clyde\u2019s Water\n216B.1 \u2018GIE corn to my horse, mither,\nGie meat unto my man,\nFor I maun gang to Margaret\u2019s bower\nBefore the nicht comes on.\u2019\n216B.2 \u2018O stay at hame now, my son Willie,\nThe wind blaws cald and sour;\nThe nicht will be baith mirk and late\nBefore ye reach her bower.\u2019\n216B.3 \u2018O the nicht were ever sae dark,\nOr the wind blew never sae cald,\nI will be In my Margaret\u2019s bower\nBefore twa hours be tald.\u2019\n216B.4 \u2018O gin ye gang to May Margaret,\nWithout the leave of me,\nClyde\u2019s water\u2019s wide and deep enough,\nMy malison drown thee!\u2019\n216B.5 He mounted on his coal-black steed,\nAnd fast he rade awa,\nBut ere he came to Clyde\u2019s water\nFu loud the wind did blaw.\n216B.6 As he rode oer yon hich, hich hill,\nAnd down yon dowie den,\nThere was a roar in Clyde\u2019s water\nWad feard a hunder men.\n216B.7 His heart was warm, his pride was up;\nSweet Willie kentna fear;\nBut yet his mither\u2019s malison\nAy sounded in his ear.\n216B.8 O he has swam through Clyde\u2019s water,\nTho it was wide and deep,\nAnd he came to May Margaret\u2019s door,\nWhen a\u2019 were fast asleep.\n216B.9 O he\u2019s gane round and round about,\nAnd tirled at the pin;\nBut doors were steekd, and windows barrd,\nAnd nane wad let him in.\n216B.10 \u2018O open the door to me, Margaret!\nO open amd lat me in!\nFor my boots are full o Clyde\u2019s water\nAnd frozen to the brim.\u2019\n216B.11 \u2018I darena open the door to you,\nNor darena lat you in,\nFor my mither she is fast asleep,\nAnd I darena mak nae din.\u2019\n216B.12 \u2018O gin ye winna open the door,\nNor yet be kind to me,\nNow tell me o some out-chamber\nWhere I this nicht may be.\u2019\n216B.13 \u2018Ye canna win in this nicht, Willie,\nNor here ye canna be;\nFor I\u2019ve nae chambers out nor in,\nNae ane but barely three.\n216B.14 \u2018The tane o them is fu o corn,\nThe tither is fu o hay;\nThe tither is fu o merry young men;\nThey winna remove till day.\u2019\n216B.15 \u2018O fare ye weel, then, May Margaret,\nSin better manna be;\nI\u2019ve win my mither\u2019s malison,\nComing this nicht to thee.\u2019\n216B.16 He\u2019s mounted on his coal-black steed,\nO but his heart was wae!\nBut, ere he came to Clyde\u2019s water,\n\u2019Twas half up oer the brae.\n* * * * *\n216B.17 . . . .\n. . .\n. . he plunged in,\nBut never raise again.\n216C: The Mother\u2019s Malison, or, Clyde\u2019s Water\n216C.1 WILLIE stands in his stable-door,\nAnd clapping at his steed,\nAnd looking oer his white fingers\nHis nose began to bleed.\n216C.2 \u2018Gie corn to my horse, mother,\nAnd meat to my young man,\nAnd I\u2019ll awa to Maggie\u2019s bower;\nI\u2019ll win ere she lie down.\u2019\n216C.3 \u2018O bide this night wi me, Willie,\nO bide this night wi me;\nThe best an cock o a\u2019 the reest\nAt your supper shall be.\u2019\n216C.4 \u2018A\u2019 your cocks, and a\u2019 your reests,\nI value not a prin,\nFor I\u2019ll awa to Meggie\u2019s bower;\nI\u2019ll win ere she lie down.\u2019\n216C.5 \u2018Stay this night wi me, Willie,\nO stay this night wi me;\nThe best an sheep in a\u2019 the flock\nAt your supper shall be.\u2019\n216C.6 \u2018A\u2019 your sheep, and a\u2019 your flocks,\nI value not a prin,\nFor I\u2019ll awa\u2019 to Meggie\u2019s bower;\nI\u2019ll win ere she lie down.\u2019\n216C.7 \u2018O an ye gang to Meggie\u2019s bower,\nSae sair against my will,\nThe deepest pot in Clyde\u2019s water,\nMy malison ye\u2019s feel.\u2019\n216C.8 \u2018The guid steed that I ride upon\nCost me thrice thretty pound;\nAnd I\u2019ll put trust in his swift feet\nTo hae me safe to land.\u2019\n216C.9 As he rade ower yon high, high hill,\nAnd down yon dowie den,\nThe noise that was in Clyde\u2019s water\nWoud feard five huner men.\n216C.10 \u2018O roaring Clyde, ye roar ower loud,\nYour streams seem wondrous strang;\nMake me your wreck as I come back,\nBut spare me as I gang!\u2019\n216C.11 Then he is on to Maggie\u2019s bower,\nAnd tirled at the pin;\n\u2018O sleep ye, wake ye, Meggie,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018Ye\u2019ll open, lat me come in.\u2019\n216C.12 \u2018O wha is this at my bower-door,\nThat calls me by my name?\u2019\n\u2018It is your first love, sweet Willie,\nThis night newly come hame.\u2019\n216C.13 \u2018I hae few lovers thereout, thereout,\nAs few hae I therein;\nThe best an love that ever I had\nWas here jusr late yestreen.\u2019\n216C.14 \u2018The warstan stable in a\u2019 your stables,\nFor my puir steed to stand!\nThe warstan bower in a\u2019 your bowers,\nFor me to lie therin!\nMy boots are fu o Clyde\u2019s water,\nI\u2019m shivering at the chin.\u2019\n216C.15 \u2018My barns are fu o corn, Willie,\nMy stables are fu o hay;\nMy bowers are fu o gentlemen,\nThey\u2019ll nae remove till day.\u2019\n216C.16 \u2018O fare ye well, my fause Meggie,\nO farewell, and adieu!\nI\u2019ve gotten my mither\u2019s malison\nThis night coming to you.\u2019\n216C.17 As he rode ower yon high, high hill,\nAnd down yon dowie den,\nThe rushing that was in Clyde\u2019s water\nTook Willie\u2019s cane frae him.\n216C.18 He leand him ower his saddle-bow,\nTo catch his cane again;\nThe rushing that was in Clyde\u2019s water\nTook Willie\u2019s hat frae him.\n216C.19 He leand him ower his saddle-bow,\nTo catch his hat thro force;\nThe rushing that was in Clyde\u2019s water\nTook Willie frae his horse.\n216C.20 His brither stood upo the bank,\nSays, Fye, man, will ye drown?\nYe\u2019ll turn ye to your high horse head\nAnd learn how to sowm.\n216C.21 \u2018How can I turn to my horse head\nAnd learn how to sowm?\nI\u2019ve gotten my mither\u2019s malison,\nIt\u2019s here that I maun drown.\u2019\n216C.22 The very hour this young man sank\nInto the pot sae deep,\nUp it wakend his love Meggie\nOut o her drowsy sleep.\n216C.23 \u2018Come here, come here, my mither dear,\nAnd read this dreary dream;\nI dreamd my love was at our gates,\nAnd nane wad let him in.\u2019\n216C.24 \u2018Lye still, lye still now, my Meggie,\nLye still and tak your rest;\nSin your true-love was at your yates,\nIt\u2019s but twa quarters past.\u2019\n216C.25 Nimbly, nimbly raise she up,\nAnd nimbly pat she on,\nAnd the higher that the lady cried,\nThe louder blew the win.\n216C.26 The first an step that she steppd in,\nShe stepped to the queet;\n\u2018Ohon, alas!\u2019 said that lady,\n\u2018This water\u2019s wondrous deep.\u2019\n216C.27 The next an step that she wade in,\nShe wadit to the knee;\nSays she, \u2018I coud wide farther in,\nIf I my love coud see.\u2019\n216C.28 The next an step that she wade in,\nShe wadit to the chin;\nThe deepest pot in Clyde\u2019s water\nShe got sweet Willie in.\n216C.29 \u2018You\u2019ve had a cruel mither, Willie,\nAnd I have had anither;\nBut we shall sleep in Clyde\u2019s water\nLike sister an like brither.\u2019","title":"The Child Ballads: 216. The Mother's Malison, or, Clyde's...","type":"page"}