The Water o Ganrie
RARE WILLIE DROWNED IN YARROW, OR, THE WATER O GAMRIE—G
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 637; from the recitation of the wife
of James Baird, forester at Dalrymple.
1
‘O stay at hame, my ain son Willie,
And let your bride tak Johnie!
O stay at hame, my ain son Willie!
For my blessing gaes not wi thee.’
2
‘I canna stay, nor I winna stay,
And let my bride tak Johnie;
I canna stay, nor I winna stay,
Though your blessing gaes na wi me.
3
‘I have a steed in my stable
That cost me monie a pennie,
And on that steed I winna dread
To ride the water o Genrie.’
4
The firsten step that Willie stept,
He steppit to the bellie;
The wind blew loud, the stream ran proud,
And awa wi it gaed Willie.
5
And when the bride gaed to the kirk,
Into the kirk o Ganrie,
She cuist her ee among them a',
But she sawna her love Willie.
6
Out and spak her auld brither,
Saying, Peggie, I will tell thee;
The man ye should been married till
Lyes in the water o Genrie.
7
She tore the ribbons aff her head,
That were baith rich and manie,
And she has kiltit up her coat,
And ran to the water o Ganrie.
8
She's sought him up, sae did she doun,
Thro a' the water o Ganrie;
In the deepest weil in a' the burn,
Oh, there she fand her Willie!
9
She has taen him in her arms twa,
Sae fondly as she kisst him!
Said, ‘My mither sall be wae as thine,’
And she's lain doun aside him.
