"Kercock and Balathy are two small villages on the banks of the Tay; the latter is nearly opposite Stobhall. According to tradition, the ill-fated hero of the ballad had a leman in each of these places; and it was on the occasion of his paying a visit to his Kercock love, that the jealous dame in Balathy Toun, from a revengeful feeling, scuttled the boat in which he was to recross the Tay to Stobhall." MOTHERWELL. David Drummond's destinie, Gude man o' appearance o' Cargill; I wat his blude rins in the flude, Sae sair against his parents' will. She was the lass o' Balathy toun, 5 And he the butler o' Stobhall; And mony a time she wauked late, To bore the coble o' Cargill. His bed was made in Kercock ha', Of gude clean sheets and of the hay; 10 He wudna rest ae nicht therein, But on the prude waters he wud gae. His bed was made in Balathy toun, Of the clean sheets and of the strae; But I wat it was far better made, 15 Into the bottom o' bonnie Tay. She bored the coble in seven pairts, I wat her heart might hae been sae sair; For there she got the bonnie lad lost, Wi' the curly locks and the yellow hair. 20 He put his foot into the boat, He little thocht o' ony ill: But before that he was mid waters, The weary coble began to fill. "Woe be to the lass o' Balathy toun, 25 I wat an ill death may she die; For she bored the coble in seven pairts, And let the waters perish me! "O help, O help I can get nane, Nae help o' man can to me come!" 30 This was about his dying words, When he was choaked up to the chin. "Gae tell my father and my mother, It was naebody did me this ill; I was a-going my ain errands, 35 Lost at the coble o' bonnie Cargill." She bored the boat in seven pairts, I wat she bored it wi' gude will; And there they got the bonnie lad's corpse, In the kirk-shot o' bonnie Cargill. 40 O a' the keys o' bonnie Stobha', I wat they at his belt did hing; But a' the keys of bonnie Stobha', They now ly low into the stream. A braver page into his age 45 Ne'er set a foot upon the plain; His father to his mother said, "O sae sune as we've wanted him! "I wat they had mair luve than this, When they were young and at the scule; 50 But for his sake she wauked late, And bored the coble o' bonnie Cargill. "There's ne'er a clean sark gae on my back, Nor yet a kame gae in my hair; There's neither coal nor candle licht 55 Shall shine in my bouer for ever mair.