The High Banks o Yarrow
BONNIE ANNIE—B
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 652. From the singing of a boy,
Henry French, Ayr.
1
Down in Dumbarton there wonnd a rich merchant,
Down in Dumbarton there wond a rich merchant,
And he had nae family but ae only dochter.
Sing fal lal de deedle, fal lal de deedle lair, O a day
2
There cam a rich squire, intending to woo her,
He wooed her until he had got her wi babie.
3
‘Oh what shall I do! oh what shall come o me!
Baith father and mither will think naething o me.’
4
‘Gae up to your father, bring down gowd and money,
And I'll take ye ower to a braw Irish ladie.’
5
She gade to her father, brought down gowd and money,
And she's awa ower to a braw Irish ladie.
6
She hadna sailed far till the young thing cried ‘Women!’
‘What women can do, my dear, I'll do for you.’
7
‘O haud your tongue, foolish man, dinna talk vainly,
For ye never kent what a woman driet for you.
8
‘Gae wash your hands in the cauld spring water,
And dry them on a towel a' giltit wi silver.
9
‘And tak me by the middle, and lift me up saftlie,
And throw me ower shipboard, baith me and my babie.’
10
He took her by the middle, and lifted her saftly,
And threw her ower shipboard, baith her and her babie.
11
Sometimes she did sink, sometimes she did float it,
Until that she cam to the high banks o Yarrow.
12
‘O captain tak gowd, O sailors tak money,
And launch out your sma boat till I sail for my honey.’
13
‘How can I tak gowd, how can I tak money?
My ship's on a sand bank, she winna sail for me.’
14
The captain took gowd, the sailors took money,
And they launchd out their sma boat till he sailed for his honey.
15
‘Mak my love a coffin o the gowd sae yellow,
Whar the wood it is dear, and the planks they are narrow,
And bury my love on the high banks o Yarrow.’
16
They made her a coffin o the gowd sae yellow,
And buried her deep on the high banks o Yarrow.
