The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #52556   Message #3629358
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
31-May-14 - 01:30 PM
Thread Name: Dowie Dens of Yarrow
Subject: RE: Dowie Dens of Yarrow
Child included a variety of texts of 214 under the title "214 The Braes O Yarrow."
His text A (communicated to Percy by Dr William Robertson, Principal of Edinburgh) is worth posting.

Lyr. Add: THE BRAES O YARROW, Child A

1
I dreamed a dreary dream this night,
That fills my heart wi sorrow;
I dreamed I was pouing the heather green
Upon the braes of Yarrow.
2
'O true-luve mine, stay still and dine,
As ye has done before, O,'
'O I'll be hame by hours nine,
And frae the braes of Yarrow.'
3
I dreamed a dreary dream this night,
That fills my heart wi sorrow;
I dreamed my luve came headless hame,
O frae the braes of Yarrow.
4
'O true-luve mine, stay still and dine,
As ye ha done before, O;'
O I'll be hame by hour nine,
And frae the braes of Yarrow.'
5
"O are you going to hawke,' she says,
As ye ha done before, O?,
Or are ye going to weild your brand
Upon the braes of Yarrow?'
6
'O I am not going to hawke', he says
'As I have done before, O,
But for to meet your brother Jhon,
Upon the braes of Yarrow.'
7
As he gade down yon dewy den,
Sorrow went him before, O,
Nine well-wight men lay waiting him,
Upon the braes of Yarrow.
8
'I have your sister to my wife,
Ye' think me an unmeet marrow;
But yet one foot will I never flee
Now frae the braes of Yarrow.'
9
Than' four he killed and five did wound,
That was an unmeet marrow!
And he had weel nigh wan the day
Upon the braes of Yarrow.'
10
Bot' a cowardly 'loon' came him behind,
Our Lady lend him sorrow!
And wi a rappier pierced his heart,
Upon the braes of Yarrow.
11
'Now Douglas' to his sister gane,
Wi meikle dule and sorrow;
'Gae to your love, sister,' he says,
Upon the braes of Yarrow.'
12
As she went down yon dowy den,
Sorrow went her before, O;
She saw her true-love lying slain
Upon the braes of Yarrow.
13
She swoond thrice upon his breast
That was her dearest marrow;
Said, 'Ever alace and wae the day
Thou wentst frae me to Yarrow!'
14
She kist his mouth, she kaimed his hair,
As she had done before, O;
She 'wiped' the blood that trickled doun
Upon the braes of Yarrow.
15
Her hair it was three quarters lang,
It hang baith side and yellow;
She tied it round 'her' white hause-bane,
'And tint her life on Yarrow.'