Lyrics of 'Dowie Dens o Yarrow' by Dick Gaughan

Thair lived a lady in the north
I ne'er could fin her marrow
She wis courtit by nine gentlemen
An a ploughboy lad fae Yarrow

Late at e'en, drinkin the wine
An e'er thae paid the lawin
Thae hae made a pact amang thaim aa
Tae fecht for her at the dawin

She's washed his face, she's kaimed his hair
As aft she's dune afore-o
She's made him like a knight sae braw
Tae fecht for her on Yarrow

As he gaed owre yon high, high hill
An doun by the holms o Yarrow
It's thair he spied nine armed men
Come tae fecht wi him on Yarrow

"Thair's nine o you an ane o me
That's a gey unequal marrow
But A'll fecht ye aa, ane by ane
On the dowie dens o Yarrow"

Three he slew an three thae flew
An three he's woundit sairly
Til her brither John cam in ayont
An woundit him maist foully

"Oh faither, dear, A hae dreamed a dream
A dream of dule an sorrow
A dreamt A wis puin heather bells
On the dowie dens o Yarrow"

"O dochter, dear, A'll read yer dream
A'll read it intae sorrow
For yer ain true luve lies pale an wan
On the dowie dens o Yarrow"

As she gaed owre yon high, high hill
An doun by the holms o Yarrow
It's thair she spied her ain true luve
He wis lyin slain on Yarrow

Her hair it bein three-quarters lang
The colour o't wis yellow
She's tied it roun his middle sae smaa
An she bore him doun tae Yarrow

"O faither dear, ye've seiven sons
Ye may wad thaim aa the morrow
For the fairest flouer amang thaim aa
Was pued the day on Yarrow"