Clyde's Waters
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1984.027
Original Tape ID
Summary
Stanley Robertson sings the song, which he learned from Old Maggie [Stewart], and then tells the story told in the song, which he heard from his mother before he knew the song.
A widowed nobleman with two sons, William and John, married a woman who had a daughter, Maggie. When he died, the nobleman left his estates on one side of the Clyde to his sons and those on the other to his wife and daughter. William and Maggie had fallen in love. One night when the river was high and rough William got soaked going to visit Maggie, but when he arrived she wouldn't let him in. He went away broken-hearted, and fell from his horse into the river while trying to catch his hat. His brother called to him from the bank to grab hold of the horse, but William drowned. Next day Maggie found his body in a deep pool. She drowned herself, crying for his forgiveness.
Recording Location
County - Midlothian
Parish - Penicuik
Village/Place - Silverburn
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good