17 As he rode ower yon high, high hill, And down yon dowie den, The rushing that was in Clyde’s water Took Willie’s cane frae him. 18 He leand him ower his saddle-bow, To catch his cane again; The rushing that was in Clyde’s water Took Willie’s hat frae him. 19 He leand him ower his saddle-bow, To catch his hat thro force; The rushing that was in Clyde’s water Took Willie frae his horse. 20 His brither stood upo the bank, Says, Fye, man, will ye drown? Ye’ll turn ye to your high horse head And learn how to sowm. 21 ‘How can I turn to my horse head And learn how to sowm? I’ve gotten my mither’s malison, It’s here that I maun drown.’ 22 The very hour this young man sank Into the pot sae deep, Up it wakend his love Meggie Out o her drowsy sleep. 23 ‘Come here, come here, my mither dear, And read this dreary dream; I dreamd my love was at our gates, And nane wad let him in.’ 24 ‘Lye still, lye still now, my Meggie, Lye still and tak your rest; Sin your true-love was at your yates, It’s but twa quarters past.’ 25 Nimbly, nimbly raise she up, And nimbly pat she on, And the higher that the lady cried, The louder blew the win. 26 The first an step that she steppd in, She stepped to the queet; ‘Ohon, alas!’ said that lady, ‘This water’s wondrous deep.’ 27 The next an step that she wade in, She wadit to the knee; Says she, ‘I coud wide farther in, If I my love coud see.’ 28 The next an step that she wade in, She wadit to the chin; The deepest pot in Clyde’s water She got sweet Willie in. 29 ‘You’ve had a cruel mither, Willie, And I have had anither; But we shall sleep in Clyde’s water Like sister an like brither.’ * * * * * #A.# _Not divided into stanzas in the MS.; sometimes not into verses._ 15^3. For _is written after_ call _in the preceding line._ 16^3. But ay _is written after_ agen _in the preceding line._ 16^4. He _is written after_ crayed _in the preceding line._ 18^2. Till _is written after_ in _in the preceding line._ 19. Ther was na mare seen of that guid lord bat his hat frae his head ther was na mare seen of that lady bat her comb an her sneed. 20^1. Doun _stands at the beginning of the next line_. #A# 14–16 _might perhaps be better put after the drowning, as in_ #C#. #B.# _Readings inserted by Motherwell in a copy of his Minstrelsy._ 4^{3,4}. My malison and deidly curse Shall bear ye companie. _After 7_: He swam high, and he swam low, And he swam to and fro, Until he gript a hazel-bush, That brung him to the brow. 9^4. _Var._ But his mother answered him.