Ed de Moel

Child Ballads - Lyrics

Child 214
The Braes o Yarrow
Version G

"Carterhaugh, June 15, 1802." "Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No 135, Abbotsford.

Narrative

1   She kissd his mouth and she combd his hair,
As she had done before, O,
She belted him in his noble broun,
Before he went to Yarrow.
2   O he's gone up yon high, [high] hill —
I wat it was with sorrow —
In a den he spied nine weal armd men,
On the bonny banks of Yarrow.
3   'I see that you are nine for one,
Which are of an unequal marrow;
As lang 's I'm able to wield my bran,
I'll fight and be your marrow.'
4   O he has killed them a' but one,
Which bred to him great sorrow;
For up and rose that stubborn lord,
Made him sleep sound in Yarrow.
5   'Rise up, rise up, my daughter Ann,
Go tell your sister Sarah
She may rise up go lift her lord;
He's sleeping sound in Yarrow.'
6   She's gone up yon high, high hill —
I wat it was with sorrow —
And in a den she spied nine slain men,
On the dowie banks o Yarrow.
7   O she kissed his mouth, and she combd his hair,
As she had done before, O;
She drank the bleed that from him ran,
On the dowie banks o Yarrow.
8   'Take hame your oxen, tak hame your kye,
They've bred to me great sorrow;
I wish they had all now gone mad
First when they came to Yarrow.'
9   'O hold your tongue now, daughter dear,
These words to me 's great sorrow;
I'll wed you on a better lord
Than you have lost on Yarrow.'
10   'O hold your tongue now, father dear,
These words to me 's great sorrow;
A brighter O shall there never spread
Than I have lost in Yarrow.'
11   This lady being big with child,
And full of lamentation,
She died unto her father's arms,
Among the stubborn nation.

This page most recently updated on 06-Mar-2011, 16:48:56.
Return to main index