Willie sits in his stable door
Combing his coal black steed
And he’s doubting on May Margaret’s love
And his heart began to bleed
Mother fetch my hat and coat
And help me tie them on
I will away to fair Margaret’s bower
Before the day is done
If you go to fair Margaret’s bower
Without the leave of me
And the deepest part of Clyde Water
Then drowned you shall be.
Oh the good steed that I ride upon
Cost me thrice thirty pounds
And I’ll put my trust in his swift feet
To carry me safe and sound
And he’s ridden over the high high hill
And down the dewy glen
And the rushing of the Clyde Water
Would have feared 500 men
Roaring Clyde you roar so loud
Your streams are wondrous strong
Make me a wreck as I come back
But spare me as I’m going
When he came to May Margaret’s bower
He turled low on the pin
Rise up, rise up May Margaret
Rise up and let me in
Oh who is that at my bower door
Calling May Margaret’s name
It is only your first love, little Willie
This night come to your home
Open up your gate this night
Open and let me in
For my boots are full of the Clyde water
And I’m frozen to the skin
Me barns are full of corn Willie
The Stable’s full of hay
And my bower is full of gentlemen
They’ll not remove till day
Then it’s fair the well May Margaret
It’s fair the well and adieu
I have won my mother’s curse this night
In coming here to you
And he’s ridden o’re the high, high hill
And down the dowy den
And the rushing of the Clyde water
Took Willie’s cane from him
And he’s leaned over his saddle bow
To catch his cane again
And the rushing of the Clyde water
Took Willie’s hat from him
And he’s leaned over his saddle bow
To take his hat by force
And the rushing of the Clyde water
Took Willie from his horse
And the very hour that young man sank
In the Clyde so deep
There up and awoke this May Margaret
From her dreary sleep
Come here, come here
My mother dear
And read to me my dream
I dreamed my lover was at my gate
And nobody let him in
Lie down lie down May Margaret
You lovers been and gone
And the sport you would have had with him
I played it for my own
Nimbly, nimbly rose she up
And to the river’s brim
And the louder that this lady cried
The louder grew the wind
And the very first step that she went in
She’s stepped up to her feet
Oh and alas this lady cried
This water’s wondrous deep
And the very next step that she went in
She’s up unto her knee
Says she I would wade further in
If my true love I could see
And the very next step that she went in
She’s waded to her chin
And the deepest part of Clyde water
She’d saw sweet William in
Saying you have had a cruel mother Willie
And I have had another
And now we’ll sleep in Clyde water
Like sister and like brother