An dreachd seo agus an ceòl bho ‘An Deo-gréine’, vol. 17.

Chuir Otta Swire na leanas an cèill ann an ‘Skye: the island and its legends’ t.d. 200-201:
It was to Mrs. MacPherson of Ostaig that a woman, reputed to have been rather simple, is said to have composed the song ‘Ho Ro, Mhàiri Dhubh’. This woman may have been ‘Old Marcellie’, a very well-known character in her day. She was childlike and simple, but quite harmless, she dressed always, winter and summer, in white, never spent more than one night under one roof. On arrival she asked for soap and water and washed everything she had on ; then and not till then would she eat, talk and ‘wait upon’ the lady of the house. A welcome awaited her everywhere, for was she not the B.B.C. and the local newspaper rolled into one? Her surname is forgotten but she was believed to be kin to almost every family in the island.

Cluinnear Caimbeulaich a’ Ghrìoba ga ghabhail an seo.

Faclan

Cha dean mi car feum ma thrèigeas mo leannan mi
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh, tionndaidh rium!
A’ bhean a chùl dualaich, ’s nan cuachagan camagach ;
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh, tionndaidh rium!

Sèist
A Mhàiri nan tigeadh tu, thaitneadh tu rium!
A Mhàiri nan tigeadh tu, thaitneadh tu rium!
Sa Mhàiri nan tigeadh tu b’ e do bheath’ againn thu,
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh tionndaidh rium!

Ma chaill mise m’ eudail ’s neo-èibhinn a bhitheas mi;
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh, tionndaidh rium!
Ag ionndrainn na h-òighe bha bòidheach is sgiobalta;
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh, tionndaidh rium!
O tarruing an taobh so a ghaoil tha mi ’g ràdh,
O tarruing an taobh so—cha ’n fhaod mi bhi slàn.
Nan tilleadh mo leannan-sa ’s mise bhiodh aighearach,
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh, tionndaidh rium.

An cuala sibh ’n sgeula gun tàinig mo leannan-sa,
Thàinig mo Mhàiri is tionndaidh i rium!
Tha mise làn èibhneis—cha trèig ise tuille mi.
Ho-ro Mhàiri dhubh thionndaidh thu rium!
A Mhàiri o’n thainig thu tha mi lan mùirn,
A Mhàiri dhubh bhanail ’s tu m’ aighear ’s mo rùn,
Òg-chuspair mo leannanachd, dh-aisig dhomh fallaineachd,
Màiri, mo Mhàiri dhubh, thionndaidh i rium!