False Sir John's a wooing gone
To a maid o' beauty fair
Mae Colven was this lady's name
Her faither's only heir
He woo'd her b(?), he woo'd her ben
He woo'd her in the ha'
Until he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa
They went doon to her faither's bower
Where all the steeds did stand
And he's ta'en yin o' the best steeds there
Right frae her faither's hands
He's got on and she's got on
As fast as they could flee
Until they've come tae a lonesome part
A rock by the side o' the sea
Higher rose the tide and faster he did ride
Loup off the steed says false Sir John
Your bridal bed you see
For it's seven daughters I hae drooned
And the eighth'in ye shall be
Cast off, cast off Mae Colven
A' and your silken gown
For it's o'er guid and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam
Weel turn yer head then false Sir John
Look to the leaf o' the tree
For it ne'er becam a gentleman
A naked woman to see
So he turned his head straight roon' aboot
To look to the leaf o' the tree
So swift as Mae Colven was
She pushed him in the sea
Higher rose the tide and faster he did ride
O help, o help Mae Colven
O help or else I'll droon
An' I'll tak ye back tae yer faither's boo'er
And set you safe and soond
Nae help, nae help o' false Sir John
Nae help nor pity for thee
For it's seven daughters ye hae drooned
And the eighth yin'll not be me
So she louped onto her faither's steed
As swift as she could flee
And she got hame tae her faither's bower
Afore the break o' day
Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride
Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride