He has loupen on the bonny gray, He rade the right gate and the ready; I trow he would neither stint nor stay, For he was seeking his bonny ladye. O he has ridden ower field and fell, Through muir and moss, and mony a mire; His spurs o' steel were sair to bide, And frae her fore-feet flew the fire. "Now, bonny gray, now play your part! "Gin ye be the steed that wins my deary, "Wi' corn and hay ye'se be fed for aye, "And never spur sall make you wearie." The gray was a mare, and a right good mare; But when she wan the Annan water, She could na hae ridden a furlong mair, Had a thousand merks been wadded[17] at her. "O boatman, boatman, put off your boat! "Put off your boat for gowden monie! "I cross the drumly stream the night, "Or never mair I see my honey." "O I was sworn sae late yestreen, "And not by ae aith, but by many; "And for a' the gowd in fair Scotland, "I dare na take ye through to Annie." The side was stey, and the bottom deep, Frae bank to brae the water pouring; And the bonny gray mare did sweat for fear, For she heard the water kelpy roaring. O he has pou'd aff his dapperpy[18] coat, The silver buttons glanced bonny; The waistcoat bursted aff his breast, He was sae full of melancholy. He has ta'en the ford at that stream tail; I wot he swam both strong and steady; But the stream was broad, and his strength did fail, And he never saw his bonny ladye. "O wae betide the frush[19] saugh wand! "And wae betide the bush of briar! "It brake into my true love's hand, "When his strength did fail, and his limbs did tire. "And wae betide ye, Annan water, "This night that ye are a drumlie river! "For over thee I'll build a bridge, "That ye never more true love may sever." FOOTNOTES: [17] _Wadded_--Wagered. [18] _Quære_--Cap-a-pee? [19] _Frush_--Brittle. THE CRUEL SISTER. * * * * * This ballad differs essentially from that which has been published in various collections, under the title of _Binnorie_. It is compiled from a copy in Mrs Brown's MSS., intermixed with a beautiful fragment, of fourteen verses, transmitted to the editor by J. C. Walker, Esq. the ingenious historian of the Irish bards. Mr Walker, at the same time, favoured the editor with the following note:--"I am indebted to my departed friend, Miss Brook, for the foregoing pathetic fragment. Her account of it was as follows: This song was transcribed, several years ago, from the memory of an old woman, who had no recollection of the concluding verses: probably the beginning may also be lost, as it seems to commence abruptly." The first verse and burden of the fragment run thus:--