Book of Old English Ballads, A

<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"></SPAN></p> <h2> Annan Water </h2> <p>"Annan Water's wading deep,<br/> And my love Annie's wondrous bonny;<br/> I will keep my tryst to-night,<br/> And win the heart o' lovely Annie."<br/> <br/> He's loupen on his bonny grey,<br/> He rade the right gate and the ready',<br/> For a' the storm he wadna stay,<br/> For seeking o' his bonny lady.<br/> <br/> And he has ridden o'er field and fell,<br/> Through muir and moss, and stones and mire;<br/> His spurs o' steel were sair to bide,<br/> And frae her four feet flew the fire.<br/> <br/> "My bonny grey, noo play your part!<br/> Gin ye be the steed that wins my dearie,<br/> Wi' corn and hay ye'se be fed for aye,<br/> And never spur sail mak' you wearie."<br/> <br/> The grey was a mare, and a right gude mare:<br/> But when she wan the Annan Water,<br/> She couldna hae found the ford that night<br/> Had a thousand merks been wadded at her.<br/> <br/> "O boatman, boatman, put off your boat,<br/> Put off your boat for gouden money!"<br/> But for a' the goud in fair Scotland,<br/> He dared na tak' him through to Annie.<br/> <br/> "O I was sworn sae late yestreen,<br/> Not by a single aith, but mony.<br/> I'll cross the drumly stream to-night,<br/> Or never could I face my honey."<br/> <br/> The side was stey, and the bottom deep,<br/> Frae bank to brae the water pouring;<br/> The bonny grey mare she swat for fear,<br/> For she heard the water-kelpy roaring.<br/> <br/> He spurred her forth into the flood,<br/> I wot she swam both strong and steady;<br/> But the stream was broad, her strength did fail,<br/> And he never saw his bonny lady.<br/> <br/> O wae betide the frush saugh wand!<br/> And wae betide the bush of brier!<br/> That bent and brake into his hand,<br/> When strength of man and horse did tire.<br/> <br/> And wae betide ye, Annan Water!<br/> This night ye are a drumly river;<br/> But over thee we'll build a brig,<br/> That ye nae mair true love may sever.<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />