Annan Water (1802)

Annie’s lover sets out on horseback to ride to Gatehope-slack and to join Annie on the far side of Annan Water.  When his black horse is exhausted by his hard riding, he changes to a good grey mare that brings him to Annan Water before she founders. The river is in flood and the water kelpie is roaring.  The lover takes off his coat and attempts to swim across, but when he comes to the far bank and reaches up to a willow branch and brier bush they break in his hand and he is drowned.  Annie curses Annan Water and says that she will build a bridge over it so that it will no longer keep lovers apart.

Annan Water (1803)

Annie’s lover sets out on horseback to ride to Gatehope-slack and to join Annie on the far side of Annan Water.  When his black horse is exhausted by his hard riding, he changes to a good grey mare that brings him to Annan Water before she founders.  The lover offers a boatman gold to take him across the river saying that if he does not cross that night he will never see his love again, but the boatman refuses saying he dare not since he had been made to swear the previous evening not to take him   The river is in flood and  the water kelpie is roaring.  The lover takes off his coat and attempts to swim across, but when he comes to the far bank and reaches up to a willow branch and brier bush they break in his hand and he is drowned. Annie curses Annan Water and says that she will build a bridge over it so that it will no longer keep lovers apart.