"O if you be a gay young knight,
As well I trow you be,
Pull tight your bridle reins, and stay
Till I come up to thee."
But nothing did that tall knight say,
And no whit did he blin,
Until he reached a broad river's side
And there he drew his rein.
"O is this water deep?" he said,
"As it is wondrous dun?
Or is it sic as a saikless maid,
And a leal true knight may swim?"
"The water it is deep," she said,
"As it is wondrous dun;
But it is sic as a saikless maid,
And a leal true knight may swim."
The knight spurred on his tall black steed;
The lady spurred on her brown;
And fast they rade unto the flood,
And fast they baith swam down.
"The water weets my tae," she said;
"The water weets my knee,
And hold up my bridle reins, sir knight,
For the sake of Our Ladye."
"If I would help thee now," he said,
"It were a deadly sin,
For I've sworn neir to trust a fair may's word,
Till the water weets her chin."
"Oh, the water weets my waist," she said,
"Sae does it weet my skin,
And my aching heart rins round about,
The burn maks sic a din.
"The water is waxing deeper still,
Sae does it wax mair wide;
And aye the farther that we ride on,
Farther off is the other side.
"O help me now, thou false, false knight,
Have pity on my youth,
For now the water jawes owre my head,
And it gurgles in my mouth."
The knight turned right and round about,
All in the middle stream;
And he stretched out his head to that lady,
But loudly she did scream.
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