Water o the Weary Well- M.Christy (Aber) 1875 Carpenter
[A second version (Child 4B) from Mrs Margaret Christie from James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11506. Uses the "Lord Lovel" ending. The stepping in the water (Child B) is also found in Childe Waters (Burd Helen). Inconsistent dialect, Mrs James Christie (Mrs. Margaret Christie) also sing a different variant of Child 4.
R. Matteson 2018]
"Water o the Weary Well," sung by Mrs James Christie of 9 Newton Hill, learned from Jean Christie (b. 1833). Related to Peter Christie.
1. Step in, step in, my lady fair,
Nae harm shall thee befall;
For ofttimes here I've watered my steed
In the water o Weary Well, Well,
In the water o Weary Well.
2. The firstan step that she stepped in,
She stepped tee the knee;
An' sichen says the king's daughter,
This water's nae for me, me,
This water's nae for me.
3. "Step in, step in, my lady fair,
Nae harm shall thee befall;
For ofttimes here I've watered my steed
Wi the water o Weary Well, Well,
Wi' the water o Weary Well.
4. The neistan step that she stepped in,
She stepped tee the middle;
An' sichen says the king's daughter,
I've wat my gowden girdle, girdle,
I've wat my gowden girdle.
5. "Step in, step in, my lady fair,
Nae harm shall thee befall;
For ofttimes here I've watered my steed
Wi the water o Weary Well, Well,
Wi' the water o Weary Well.
6. The neistan step that she stepped in,
She stepped tee chin;
An' sichen says the king's daughter,
This would gar twa loves twyne, twyne,
This would gar twa loves twyne.
7 "Seven king's dochters I've droont here,
I' the water o the Weary Well,
And I'll mak you the eight yen ower them a'.
An' I'll ring the common bell bell,
An' I'll ring the common bell.
8 "O I am standing here," says she,
"This dowie death ti die,
Gin I had one kiss o your comely lips
I'm sure would comfort me, me,
I'm sure would comfort me.
9 He leaned him ower his high saddle,
Ti kiss her cheek an' chin,
An' she's taen him in her arms twa,
An' thrown him headlong in, in,
An' thrown him headlong in.
10. "Gin seven king's daughters ye've droont here,
In the water o the Weary Well,
I'll mak ye bridegroom ower them a',
An' I'll ring the bell mysel', sel'
An' I'll ring the bell mysel'."
11 Then aye she warsled, an' aye she swam,
Till she swam tee dry land;
She thanked God most cheerfully
For the danger she ower gane [came], gane,
For the danger she ower gane.