by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Willy's rare
Language: English
Willy's rare, and Willy's fair, And Willy's wond'rous bonny; And Willy heght to marry me, Gin e'er he marry'd ony. Yestreen I made my bed fu' brade, The night I'll make it narrow; For a' the live long winter's night, I'll lie twin'd of my marrow. O! came you by yon water side? Pu'd you the rose or lily? Or came you by yon meadow green? Or saw you my sweet Willy? She sought him east, she sought him west, She sought him brade and narrow; Sine, in the clifting of a craig, She found him drown'd in Yarrow.
GLOSSARY
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
Hegt = promised
Gin = if
Brade = broad
Marrow = marriage-partner, spouse
Sine = then
Clifting = cleft
Craig = ridge with a steep rock-face
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Willy's rare", JHW. XXXII/1 no. 82, Hob. XXXIa no. 82. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2012-10-04
Line count: 16
Word count: 99