Karine Polwart - Dowie Dens of Yarrow lyrics

There was a lady in the north You scarce would find her marrow She was courted by nine gentlemen An a plooboy lad fae Yarrow Well nine sat drinking at the wine As oft they'd done afore o And they made a vow amang themselves Tae fight for her on Yarrow He's come ower yon high, high hill and Doon by the den sae narrow And there he spied nine armed men Come tae fight wi him on Yarrow He says "There's nine o' you and but yin o' me It's an unequal marrow" But I'll fight ye a' noo one by one On the Dowie Dens o' Yarrow So it's three he slew and three withdrew Anthree he wounded sairly Til her brother he came in beyond And he wounded him maist foully "Gae hame, gae hame ye fause young man And bring yer sister sorrow For her ain true love lies pale and wan On the Dowie Dens o' Yarrow" "O mither I dreamed a dream A dream o' doul and sorrow I dreamed I was pu'ing the heathery bells On the Dowie Dens o' Yarrow" "O daughter dear I ken yer dream And I doobt it will bring sorrow For yer lover John lies pale and wan On the Dowie Dens o' Yarrow" So she's run ower yon high, high hill an Doon by the den sae narrow And there she spied her dear lover John Lying pale and deid on Yarrow She's washed his face an' kaimed his hair As aft she'd done afore o And tied it roond her middle sae sma And carried him hame tae Yarrow. "Oh haud yer tongue my dochter dear! What need for all this sorrow? I'll wed ye tae a far, far better man Than the one that's lost on Yarrow" "O faither ye hae seven sons Ye may wed them a' the morrow But the fairest floo-er amang them a' Was the plooboy lad fae Yarrow" "So mither, mither mak my bed And mak it saft and narrow For my love died for me this day And I'll die for him tomorrow"