The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
180
The Dowie Dens o Yarrow
RARE WILLIE DROWNED IN YARROW, OR, THE WATER O GAMRIE—C
[_]
Gibb MS., No 7, p. 37; from recitation. “Traced to Eppie Fraser, daughter of a tramp, and unable to read, circa 1840.”
1
‘Willie's fair, an Willie's rare,An Willie's wondrous bonny,
An Willie's promised to marry me,
If eer he marry ony.’
2
‘O sister dear, I've dreamed a dream,I'm afraid it's unco sorrow;
I dreamed I was pu'in the heather green,
In the dowie dens o Yarrow.’
3
‘O sister dear, I'll read your dream,I'm afraid it will be sorrow;
Ye'll get a letter ere it's een
Your lover's drowned in Yarrow.’
4
She socht him up, she socht him doun,In mickle dule an sorrow;
She found him neath a buss o brume,
In the dowie dens o Yarrow.
5
Her hair it was three quarters lang,Its colour it was yallow;
She tied it to his middle sma,
An pu'ed him oot o Yarrow.
6
‘My bed it was made wide yestreen,The nicht it sall be narrow;
There's neer a man lie by my side
Since Willie's drowned in Yarrow.’
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |