Traditional
(from the singing of Jeannie Robertson and Stanley Robertson)
My parents gaed me guid learnin'
Guid learnin' they gaed tae me
And they sent me tae a butcher shop
A butcher boy tae be
Its there that I met sweet Mary Ann
Wi' the dark and rovin' eye
And I promised I wuid marry her
In the month o' sweet July
Noo he's gaen doon tae her mither's hoose
Twixt the hours of eicht and nine
And he's asked if she wuid walk wi' him
Doon by the foamin' brine
Doon by the foamin' brine ma dear
Doon by the foamin' brine
Aye that would be a pleasant walk
Doon by the foamin' brine
They walked it east and they walked it west
And they walked it all aroon'
Till he's taen a penknife frae his side
And he stabbed her tae the groond
She fell doon on one bended knee
And for mercy she did cry
Oh Willy dear don't murder me
For I'm far ower young tae die
He's taen her by her lilly white hauns
And he's dragged her on the groond
And he's shoved in deep water whaur
He knew she would be drooned
Noo he's gaen back tae his mither's hoose
Twixt the hours of twelve and one
And its little did his mither ken
Whit her only son hid done
He's asked her for a hankerchief
For tae tie aroon his head
An' he's asked her for a candlelicht
Tae show him tae his bed
Nae sleep nor rest could this young man get
Nae rest could he find
For he dreamed he saw the gates o' hell
Approachin' his bedside
The murder it was soon found oot
And the gallows was his doom
For the murder o' sweet Mary Ann
Wha sleeps whaur the roses bloom