The Lady of the Lake
1 One evening as I chanced to stray along the banks of Clyde,
Near to the town of sweet Dundee a bonnie lass I spied.
She sighed and sobbed and thus did say: “Oh, may I rue the day
My sailor lad left Brinnecay [Greenock Quay] to cross the raging sea!”
2 Being unperceived unto her, I speedily drew near,
Not thinking that it was the voice of my Eliza dear.
Her doleful lamentations did me greatly surprise.
The tears fell in torrents down from her tender eyes.
3 I quickly stepped up to her and thus to her did say:
“Why weep you here, my bonnie lass, beneath the willow tree?”
With a sigh she then did cry, “Oh, pray don't trouble me!
When I'm in grief I find relief beneath the willow tree.”
4 “My bonnie lass, there is one thing that I would like to know.
Come, tell to me what is the cause of your distressing woe.”
“If that is your request, sir, that you require of me,
My troubles I'll reveal to you beneath the willow tree.
5 “I once did love a sailor lad whose name was Willie Brown,
And in the Lady of the Lake he sailed from Belfast town.
On board three hundred emigrants bound for Amerikay,
And on the coast of Newfoundland they have been cast away.”
6 Soon as she made mention of my name, I to myself did say,
“Can this be her I've thought so long, my dear Eliza Gray?”
And turning round, a falling tear from her then to conceal,
'Twas then I did begin for to relate my doleful tale.
7 “Your Willie Brown among the rest, he in that vessel went.
Along with your love Willie Brown some pleasant hours I've spent!
He was my galliant comrade in the Lady of the Lake ,
But on the coast of Newfoundland a leave of me did take.
8 “Being out on the wild ocean, five hundred miles from shore,
The northeast winds and mountains of ice down on our vessel poured.
The Lady of the Lake that night she into pieces went,
And all excepting thirty-four down to the bottom went.
9 “Your Willie Brown among the rest I'm sure was cast away.
Before our ship to pieces went these words I heard him say:
‘Farewell unto Eliza Gray! I'm sure her heart will break
If she should hear that I am lost in the Lady of the Lake! ’”
10 “Well now, young man, if what you have related to me be true,
It's to all earthly comforts that now I bid adieu!
For all my days a single life I do intend to lead,
So now, young man, don't trouble me beneath the willow tree.”
11 I said, “My dear Eliza Gray, from weeping now refrain,
For don't you see I'm spared to see my native land again?
Behold the token you gave to me when I left Brinnecay.
It bears the bonnie likeness of my dear Eliza Gray!”
12 I said, “My dear Eliza Gray, no longer here we'll stay,
For if tomorrow we are spared, 'twill be our wedding day.”
So Willie Brown and Eliza Gray were joined in unity.
No more we'll have to sigh and sob beneath the willow tree.
Near to the town of sweet Dundee a bonnie lass I spied.
She sighed and sobbed and thus did say: “Oh, may I rue the day
My sailor lad left Brinnecay [Greenock Quay] to cross the raging sea!”
2 Being unperceived unto her, I speedily drew near,
Not thinking that it was the voice of my Eliza dear.
Her doleful lamentations did me greatly surprise.
The tears fell in torrents down from her tender eyes.
3 I quickly stepped up to her and thus to her did say:
“Why weep you here, my bonnie lass, beneath the willow tree?”
With a sigh she then did cry, “Oh, pray don't trouble me!
When I'm in grief I find relief beneath the willow tree.”
4 “My bonnie lass, there is one thing that I would like to know.
Come, tell to me what is the cause of your distressing woe.”
“If that is your request, sir, that you require of me,
My troubles I'll reveal to you beneath the willow tree.
5 “I once did love a sailor lad whose name was Willie Brown,
And in the Lady of the Lake he sailed from Belfast town.
On board three hundred emigrants bound for Amerikay,
And on the coast of Newfoundland they have been cast away.”
6 Soon as she made mention of my name, I to myself did say,
“Can this be her I've thought so long, my dear Eliza Gray?”
And turning round, a falling tear from her then to conceal,
'Twas then I did begin for to relate my doleful tale.
7 “Your Willie Brown among the rest, he in that vessel went.
Along with your love Willie Brown some pleasant hours I've spent!
He was my galliant comrade in the Lady of the Lake ,
But on the coast of Newfoundland a leave of me did take.
8 “Being out on the wild ocean, five hundred miles from shore,
The northeast winds and mountains of ice down on our vessel poured.
The Lady of the Lake that night she into pieces went,
And all excepting thirty-four down to the bottom went.
9 “Your Willie Brown among the rest I'm sure was cast away.
Before our ship to pieces went these words I heard him say:
‘Farewell unto Eliza Gray! I'm sure her heart will break
If she should hear that I am lost in the Lady of the Lake! ’”
10 “Well now, young man, if what you have related to me be true,
It's to all earthly comforts that now I bid adieu!
For all my days a single life I do intend to lead,
So now, young man, don't trouble me beneath the willow tree.”
11 I said, “My dear Eliza Gray, from weeping now refrain,
For don't you see I'm spared to see my native land again?
Behold the token you gave to me when I left Brinnecay.
It bears the bonnie likeness of my dear Eliza Gray!”
12 I said, “My dear Eliza Gray, no longer here we'll stay,
For if tomorrow we are spared, 'twill be our wedding day.”
So Willie Brown and Eliza Gray were joined in unity.
No more we'll have to sigh and sob beneath the willow tree.
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