Celtic Folk - The Dowie Dens O' Yarrow lyrics

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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.