William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Restoration Verse. 1910.
Annan WaterAnonymous
A
And my Love Annie’s wondrous bonny;
And I am loath she should wet her feet,
Because I love her best of ony.
He rode the right gate and the ready;
For all the storm he wadna stay,
For seeking of his bonny lady.
Through moor, and moss, and many a mire;
His spurs of steel were sair to bide,
And from her four feet flew the fire.
If ye be the steed that wins my dearie,
With corn and hay ye’ll be fed for aye,
And never spur shall make you wearie.’
But when she wan the Annan Water,
She could not have ridden the ford that night
Had a thousand merks been wadded at her.
Put off your boat for golden money!’
But for all the gold in fair Scotland,
He dared not take him through to Annie.
Not by a single oath, but mony!
I’ll cross the drumly stream to-night,
Or never could I face my honey.’
From bank to brae the water pouring;
The bonny grey mare she swat for fear,
For she heard the water-kelpy roaring.
I wot she swam both strong and steady;
But the stream was broad, and her strength did fail,
And he never saw his bonny lady!