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.