Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.
Young Waters
By AnonymousA
And the round tables began,
Ah! there is cum to our king’s court
Mony a well-favor’d man.
Beheld baith dale and down,
And there she saw young Waters
Cum riding to the town.
His horsemen rade behind,
And mantel of the burning gowd
Did keep him frae the wind.
And siller shod behind;
The horse young Waters rade upon
Was fleeter than the wind.
Unto the queen said he:
“O tell me quha ’s the fairest face
Rides in the company?”
And knights of high degree,
But a fairer face than young Waters’
Mine eyne did never see.”
(And an angry man was he):
“O, if he had been twice as fair,
You micht have excepted me.”
“But the king that wears the crown;
There ’s not a knight in fair Scotland,
But to thee maun bow down.”
Appeased he wadna be;
But for the words which she had said
Young Waters he maun die.
Put fetters to his feet;
They hae ta’en young Waters, and
Thrown him in dungeon deep.
In the wind bot and the weit;
But I ne’er rade thro’ Stirling town
Wi’ fetters at my feet.
In the wind bot and the rain;
But I ne’er rode thro’ Stirling town
Ne’er to return again.
His young son in his cradle;
And they hae ta’en to the heiding hill
His horse bot and the saddle.
His lady fair to see;
And for the words the queen had spoke
Young Waters he did die.