"Wi' a drie, drie, dredidronilie drie."
As I cam in by Garioch land,
And doun by Netherha',
There was fifty thousand Hielandmen,
A' marching to Harlaw.
As I cam on, and further on,5
And doun and by Balquhaim,
O there I met Sir James the Ross,
Wi' him Sir John the Græme.
"O cam ye frae the Highlands, man?
O cam ye a' the way?10
Saw ye Mac Donnell and his men,
As they cam frae the Skye?"
"Yes, we cam frae the Highlands, man,
And we cam a' the way,
And we saw Mac Donnell and his men,15
As they cam in frae Skye."
"O was ye near Mac Donnell's men?
Did ye their number see?
Come, tell to me, John Hielandman,
What might their numbers be?"20
"Yes, we was near, and near eneugh,
And we their number saw;
There was fifty thousand Hielandmen,
A' marching to Harlaw."
"Gin that be true," said James the Ross,25
"We'll no come meikle speed;
We'll cry upon our merry men,
And turn our horses' head."
"O na, O na!" says John the Græme,
"That thing maun never be;30
The gallant Græmes were never beat,
We'll try what we can dee."