As I was a-walking one midsummer's morning
Down by the gay banks of a clear pearling stream
There I met a fair maid making sad lamentations
So I threw myself in ambush to hear her sad refrain

Through the woods she marched along, caused the valleys to ring-o
And the fine feathered songsters around her they flew
Saying, “The war it is now over and peace it is returned again
Yet my William's not returning from the plains of Waterloo”

Oh, I stepped up to this fair maid and said, “My fond crеature
Oh, dare I make еnquire as to what's your true love's name?
For it's I have been in battle where the cannons loud do rattle
And by your description I might have known the same”

“Willy Smith me true love's name is, a hero of great fame
And he's gone and he's left me in sorrow, it's true
Now no-one shall me enjoy but me own darling boy
And yet he's not returning from the plains of Waterloo”

“If Willy Smith's your true love's name, then he's a hero of great fame
He and I have fought in battle through many's the long campaign
Through Italy and Russia, through Germany and Prussia
He was my loyal comrade through France and through Spain”

“Till at length by the French, oh then we were surrounded
And like heroes of old then we did them subdue
We fought for three days till at length we did defeat him
That bold Napoleon Boney on the plains of Waterloo”

“And on this sixteenth day of June, it is end of the battle
Leaving many's the bold hero in sorrow to mourn
There the war drums they do beat and the cannons loud do rattle
It was by a French soldier your William was slain”

“And as I passed by oh to where he lay a-bleeding
I scarcely had time for to bid him adieu
With a faint, faltering voice these words he kept repeating:
Fare the well, me lovely Annie, you are far from Waterloo“

And when that this fair maid heard this sad acclamation
Her two rosy cheeks they turned pale into wan
And when that his young man saw her sad lamentation
He cried, “Me lovely Annie, oh I am your very one”
“And here is the ring that between us was broken
In the depth of all dangers, love, to remind me of you”
And when she saw the token, she fell into his arms, saying
“You're welcome, lovely William, from the plains of Waterloo”