C                    F
Willie stands in his stable door
         C           G7         C
And he's combing his coal black steed
                          F
And he's thinking of fair Margaret's love
        C     G7       C
And his heart began to bleed


 C                F
"Mother, fetch my hat and coat
C                G7
Help me tie them on
C                 F
I'll away to fair Margaret's bower
C          G7          C
Before the night comes on"


C                  F
"Stay at home with me, dear Willie
    C          G7      C
Tonight there comes a storm
                     F
I'll lay the table handsomely
     C      G7       C
Your bed be soft and warm"


C                      F
"Your tables, mother, and your beds
       C              G7
They cannot bring me rest
C                  F
I'll away to fair Margaret's bower
C           G7        C
Before the night has passed"


C                  F
"If you go to fair Margaret's bower
   C           G7     C
My curse will go with thee
                            F
And the deepest part of the Clyde Water
C       G7        C
Drowned you shall be"


C                      F
"The good steed that I ride upon
 C                     G7
Cost me thrice thirty pounds
    C                F
I'll put my trust in his swift feet
   C       G7       C
To take me safe and sound"


C                  F
He's rode over the high, high hill
C        G7   C
Down the dewy glen
                       F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water
           C          G7       C
Would have feared five hundred men


C                   F
"Roaring Clyde, you roar so loud
     C                    G7
Your streams are wondrous strong
C                  F
Make me a wreck as I come back
C        G7     C
Spare me as I'm going"


C                        F
And when he came to fair Margaret's gate
    C         G7        C
He's called to her within
                       F
"Rise up, rise up, maid Margaret
C           G7     C
Rise up and let me in!"


C                        F
"Who's that stands at my garden gate
C                       G7
Calling maid Margaret's name?"
     C                      F
"It's only your first love, sweet William
C          G7           C
This night come to your home -


C                    F
Open your door, maid Margaret
C         G7    C
Open and let me in
                         F
My boots are full of the Clyde Water
C       G7               C
And I'm shivering to the skin"


    C                 F
"My stable is full of horses, Willie
C                    G7
My barns are full of hay
      C                  F
And my bowers are full of gentlemen
C           G7          C
They'll not remove 'til day"


C                     F
"Fare thee well, maid Margaret
C         G7     C
Fair thee well, adieu
C                     F
A curse my mother laid on me
    C           G7       C
For coming this night to you"


C                  F
He's rode over the high, high hill
C        G7
Down the dewy glen
        C              F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water
C            G7        C
Took Willie's hat from him


C                            F
Then he's leaned him over the saddlebow
C            G7    C
To fetch his hat again
                       F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water
C             G7        C
Took Willie's coat from him


C                            F
And he's leaned him over his saddlebow
   C                 G7
To catch his coat by force
        C              F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water
C           G7       C
Took Willie from his horse


C                  F
The very hour this young man sank
C           G7
Down in the water deep
     C                F
Then up and rose maid Margaret
C          G7     C
Out of her drowsy sleep


C                         F
"Come here, come here, my mother dear
C                    G7
I've dreamed a dreary dream
  C                      F
I dreamed my lover was at our gate
C          G7       C
And nobody let him in"


C                          F
"Lie down, lie down, maid Margaret
C            G7       C
Your lover's come and gone
                         F
The sport you would have made with him
C              G7     C
I've played it for my own"


C               F
Nimbly, nimbly, rose she up
C                   G7
Down to the river's brim
        C                 F
But the louder that this lady cried
    C      G7       C
The louder blew the wind


[Break]
C F C G7 C F C G7 C


C                        F
The very first step that Margaret took
    C          G7      C
She stepped up to her feet
                        F
And "Oh, and alas", this lady sighs
      C       G7       C
"Your water's wondrous deep"


C                           F
And the very next step that she went in
C                  G7
She's waded to her knee
       C                 F
Says she, "I would wade farther in
   C          G7         C
If I my true lover could see"


C                           F
And the very last step that she went in
    C          G7     C
She stepped up to her chin
                            F
And the deepest part of the Clyde Water
C          G7           C
She found sweet William in


C               F
"You have had a cruel mother, Willie
C      G7
I have had another
C                   F
And now we sleep in Clyde Water
C           G7        C
Like sister and like brother"