Downie Dens of Yarrow

Subject: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 01:44 PM

In the song Downie Den of Yarrow there is a line. "Her hair it being three quarters long, wraped it round his middle so small" How long is her hair??

Thanks Gary®

Subject: RE: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 02:05 PM

"Dewie" Den of Yarrow? Anyway, if you substract one quarter from full length, you should come up with the proper answer.

Subject: RE: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 03:21 PM

The way the singer's granddaughter sang it in the 1880's:

Her hair it being three quarters long,
The colour it was yellow;
She wrapped it round his middle sma',
And carried him hame to Yarrow.

I think long was down to the top of thigh, so 3/4 would be roughly to the waist.

Subject: RE: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 01 - 01:21 PM

I'm leary about accepting 3/4 as a referance to body length. Since in the era of the song being drawn and quartered, did not mean they drew lines on you b/4 cutting you into 1/4 body part. Anybody have anything other that a literal interpretation??

Gary®

Subject: RE: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: Les from Hull
Date: 08 Mar 01 - 01:38 PM

Of course, this was before they invented wheelbarrows!

Subject: RE: Downie Dens of Yarrow
From: shankmac
Date: 08 Mar 01 - 02:11 PM

The version I have is His hair it was five quarters lang, Its colour was the yellow, She twined it round her lily hand, And drew him out o' Yarrow