As he gaed ower yon dowie knowe,
As aft he'd dune before, O;
Nine armed men lay in a den,15
Upo' the braes o' Yarrow.
"O came ye here to hunt or hawk,
As ye hae dune before, O?
Or came ye here to wiel' your brand,
Upo' the braes o' Yarrow?"20
"I came na here to hunt nor hawk,
As I hae dune before, O;
But I came here to wiel' my brand,
Upon the braes o' Yarrow."
Four he hurt, and five he slew,25
Till down it fell himsell, O;
There stood a fause lord him behin',
Who thrust him thro' body and mell, O.
"Gae hame, gae hame, my brother John,
And tell your sister sorrow;30
Your mother to come take up her son,
Aff o' the braes o' Yarrow."
As he gaed ower yon high, high hill,
As he had dune before, O;
There he met his sister dear,35
Came rinnin fast to Yarrow.
"I dreamt a dream last night," she says,
"I wish it binna sorrow;
[I dreamt I was pu'ing the heather green],
Upo' the braes o' Yarrow."40
"I'll read your dream, sister," he says,
"I'll read it into sorrow;
Ye're bidden gae take up your love,
He's sleeping sound on Yarrow."
She's torn the ribbons frae her head,45
They were baith thick and narrow;
She's kilted up her green claithing,
And she's awa' to Yarrow.