1.

It was early Monday morning Willie Leonard arose,
And straight to his comrade, young Leonard did go;
Saying, " Arise, loyal comrade, and let nobody know,
It's a fine summer morning, and a-bathing we will go. "

2.

They walked and they talked till they came to a lane,
And the first one they met was a keeper of game;
Saying, " Go back, Willie Leonard, do not venture in,
For there's deep and false water in the Lake of Cold Finn. "

3.

Willie stripped off his clothes and he swam the lake around,
He swam to an island, but not to dry ground;
" Go back, loyal comrade, do not venture in,
For there's deep and false water in the Lake of Cold Finn! "

4.

It was early next morning Willie's sister arose,
And straight to the bedchamber of her mother she goes;
" Oh, mother, dear mother, I had a strange dream,
I dreamed I saw Willie in a cold watery stream! "

5.

It was early next morning Willie's mother was there,
A-wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair;
" Oh, murder, oh, murder, — was there nobody nigh,
That would venture their life for my own darling boy? "

6.

It was early next morning Willie's uncle was there,
And he swam around the lake like a man in despair;
" Was he surely drowned, or did he fall in?
For there's deep and false water in the lake of Cold Finn! "

7.

The day of Willie's funeral will be a grand sight,
There will be four and twenty young men all dressed up in white;
They will follow his remains till it's laid in the clay,
They will (bid) young Willie adieu, and they will all march away.

8.

For to see Willie's mother, it would grieve your heart sore,
And to see Willie's sweetheart, it would grieve your heart more,
For every fine morning he would her salute,
With his pinks and red roses and fine garden fruit.