Текст песни: Lakes of Champlain + перевод

Airly one morning young William arose.

It’s off to his comrade’s bedchamber he goes,

Saying, «Comrade, royal comrade, rise and let no one

Know

For this is a fine morning and bathing we’ll go.»

They both walked along till they came to a long lane.

The first one they met was the keeper of game,

And he wished them in his heart to return back again,

But the fate of Young William was to die in a watery

Main.

Young William stripped ofF and he swum the lake round,

He swum to an island but not in dry ground,

Saying, «Comrade, royal comrade, do not venture in

For there’s deep and false waters in the lakes of

Champlain.»

Airly next morning his sister arose

And off to her mother’s bedchamber she goes,

Saying, «Mother, dearest Mother, I dream’d a true dream

That Young William was floating in a watery stream.»

It was airly next morning his mother came there

Wringing her fingers and tearing her hair

Saying, «Was there nobody by

That would venture their life for my fine darling boy?»

Airly next morning his uncle came there.

He rowed round the strand like a man in despair.

His uncle stripped himself and swum the lake round

And he swum to the island where William was found.

Saying, «Comrade, royal comrade, do not venture in

For there’s deep and false waters in the lakes of

Champlain."*

The day of his funeral, it was a great sight.

Four and twenty young men all dressed in white.

They took him up to Mary’s church and laid him in the

Clay

Saying, «Farewell, lovely William, forever and a day.»

God help his poor mother, she’s got reason to mourn

And likewise his sweetheart for I’m sure she has more,

For every other morning he did her salute

With pinks and red roses and fine garden fruit.

From The New Green Mountain Songster, Flanders et al.

Collected from Mrs. E.M. Sullivan, VT

Note: Flanders thinks this is a degenerate form of

Ballad

In which young man is taken by a water witch who

Desires him.

Перевод песни Lakes of Champlain