Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.

Ballads: Stirling

Young Waters

By Anonymous

ABOUT Zule quhen the wind blew cule,

And the round tables began,

Ah! there is cum to our king’s court

Mony a well-favor’d man.

The queen luikit owre the castle wa’,

Beheld baith dale and down,

And there she saw young Waters

Cum riding to the town.

His footmen they did rin before,

His horsemen rade behind,

And mantel of the burning gowd

Did keep him frae the wind.

Gowden graith’d his horse before,

And siller shod behind;

The horse young Waters rade upon

Was fleeter than the wind.

Out then spak a wylie lord,

Unto the queen said he:

“O tell me quha ’s the fairest face

Rides in the company?”

“I ’ve sene lord, and I ’ve seen laird,

And knights of high degree,

But a fairer face than young Waters’

Mine eyne did never see.”

Out then spak the jealous king

(And an angry man was he):

“O, if he had been twice as fair,

You micht have excepted me.”

“You ’re neither laird nor lord,” she says,

“But the king that wears the crown;

There ’s not a knight in fair Scotland,

But to thee maun bow down.”

For a’ that she could do or say,

Appeased he wadna be;

But for the words which she had said

Young Waters he maun die.

They hae ta’en young Waters, and

Put fetters to his feet;

They hae ta’en young Waters, and

Thrown him in dungeon deep.

Aft I have ridden thro’ Stirling town,

In the wind bot and the weit;

But I ne’er rade thro’ Stirling town

Wi’ fetters at my feet.

Aft I have ridden thro’ Stirling town,

In the wind bot and the rain;

But I ne’er rode thro’ Stirling town

Ne’er to return again.

They hae ta’en to the heiding hill

His young son in his cradle;

And they hae ta’en to the heiding hill

His horse bot and the saddle.

They hae ta’en to the heiding hill

His lady fair to see;

And for the words the queen had spoke

Young Waters he did die.