song lyrics

The Dowie Dens O Yarrow lyrics

                        THE DOWIE DENS O YARROW
    O late at e en,and drinking the wine
    Ere we made the lawing
    We set a pact o the two between
    Tae fecht it in the dawning.

    O stay hame, stay hame my bonny bairn
    Bide wi me the morrow
    For my cruel brothers will ye betray
    On the Dowie Dens o Yarrow

    O as he gaed doon by Tenny s field
    I wa t he gaed wi sorrow
    For there in a den, were nine armed men
    Tae fecht wi him on Yarrow.

    Well have ye cam tae part yer land ?
    Or cam ye here tae borrow ?
    Or did ye cam tea wield yer brand
    On the Dowie Dens o Yarrow ?

    I hav na cam tae part my land
    Not yet tae beg or borrow
    But I cam here tae wield my brand
    On the Dowie Dens o Yarrow.

    If I see ye all,yer nine tae wan
    And that s an unfair marrow
    But I will fecht while lasts my brand
    On the Dowie Dens o Yarrow.

    Well five did he hack,and four did he slay
    On the bloody braes o Yarrow
    Till that fause knight cam in ahint
    And ran his body through-o.

    Gae hame ,gae hame,guid brother John
    Find yer sister Sarah
    Her lief lord lies cruely slain
    On the bloody braes o Yarrow.

    As she gaed doon yon high high hill
    I wa t she gaed wi sorrow
    For there in a den,there were ten slain men
    On the bloody braes o Yarrow.

    Traditional Borders ballad.
song lyrics