Eppie Moray Lyrics

Four-and-twenty highland men
Come from the Carron side
To carry away Eppie Moray
She would not be a bride, a bride,
Would not be a bride.

Out then came her mother for
It was a moonlit night,
She couldn't see her daughter for
The water shone so bright, so bright
The water shone so bright.

Go away from me, mother,
Go away from me!
There's not a man in all Scotland
Should wedded be with me, with me,
Should wedded be with me.

They've taken Eppie Moray,
And a horse they've bound her on,
And they have rid to the minister's house
As fast as horse could run, could run,
As fast as horse could run.

Then Willie's taken his pistol out
And pointed it at the minister's head,
Saying "Marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I'll shoot you dead, you dead,
Or else I'll shoot you dead."

"Go away from me, Willie,
Go away from me,
I'm not about to marry you
Unless she's willing as thee, as thee,
Unless she's willing as thee."

They've taken Eppie Moray,
Since better couldna' be,
And they have rid to Carron side,
As fast as horse could flee, could flee,
As fast as horse could flee.

Then mass was sung and bells were rung,
And they're awa to bed,
And Willie and Eppie Moray,
In one bed they were laid, were laid,
In one bed they were laid.

He's ta'en the sack from off his back,
And kicked awa his shoes,
And thrown awa the chamber key,
And naked he's lay down, lay down,
And naked he's lay down.

Haud away from me, Willie,
Haud away from me,
Before I lose my maidenhead,
I'll try my strength with thee, with thee.
I'll try my strength with thee.

He's kissed her on the lily breasts,
And held her shouthers twa,
And aye she grat and aye she spat,
And turned to the wall, the wall,
And turned to the wall.

And all the night they wrestled there,
Until the light of day,
And Willie grat and Willie swat,
But he could not stretch her spey, her spey,
He could not stretch her spey.

It's a pity for you, Willie,
For you could not prove a man,
For if you gained her maidenhead,
She would have held your hand, your hand,
She would have held your hand.

Go away from me, lady,
Go away from me!
There's not a man in all Strathdon,
Shall married be with me, with me,
Shall married be with me.

Go fetch me a horse, Willie,
And fetch it like a man,
And send me back to my mother,
A maiden as I came, I came,
Maiden as I came.