BETA

1.

“ At Dryhope lived a lady fair,1
The fairest flower in Yarrow ;2
And she refused nine noble men3
For a servan’ lad in Gala.4

2.

Her father said that he should fight5
The nine lords all to-morrow ;6
And he that should the victor be,7
Would get the Rose of Yarrow.8

3.

Quoth he, ‘ You’re nine an’ I’m but ane,9
And in that there’s no much marrow ;10
Yet I shall fecht ye man for man,11
In the dowie dens o’ Yarrow.12

4.

She’s kissed his lips and combed his hair,13
As oft she’d done before, O,14
An’ set him on her milk-white steed,15
Which bore him on to Yarrow.16

5.

When he got o’er yon high, high hill,17
An’ down the dens o’ Yarrow,18
There did he see the nine lords all,19
But there was not one his marrow.20

6.

‘ Now here ye’re nine, an’ I’m but ane,21
But yet I am not sorrow ;22
For here I’ll fecht ye man for man,23
For my true love in Yarrow.’24

7.

Then he wheel’d round and fought so
fierce,25
Till the seventh fell in Yarrow ;26
When her brother sprang from a bush
behind,27
And ran his body thorough.28

8.

He never spoke more words than these,29
An’ they were words o’ sorrow :30
‘ Ye may tell my true love, if ye please,31
That I’m sleepin’ sound in Yarrow.32

9.

They’ve ta’en the young man by the
heels,33
And trailed him like a harrow,34
And then they flung the, comely youth35
In a whirlpool o’ Yarrow.36

10.

The lady said, ‘ I dreamed yestreen,37
I fear it bodes some sorrow,38
That I was pu’in’ the heather green39
On the scroggy braes o’ Yarrow.’40

11.

Her brother said, ‘ I’ll read your dream,41
But it should cause nae sorrow ;42
Ye may go seek your lover hame,43
For he’s sleepin’ sound in Yarrow.’44

12.

Then she rode o’er yon gloomy height,45
An’ her heart was fu’ o’ sorrow,46
But only saw the clud o’ night,47
Or heard the roar o’ Yarrow.48

13.

But she wandered east, so did she wast,49
And searched the forest thorough,50
Until she spied her ane true love51
Lyin’ deeply drowned in Yarrow.52

14.

His hair it was five quarters lang,53
Its colour was the yellow ;54
She twined it round her lily hand,55
An’ drew him out o’ Yarrow.56

15.

She kissed his lips and combed his
head,57
As oft she’d done before, O ;58
She laid him o’er her milk-white steed,59
An’ bore him home from Yarrow.60

16.

She washed his wounds in yon well-
strand,61
And dried him wi’ the hollan’,62
And aye she sighed and said, ‘ Alas !63
For my love I had him chosen.’64

17.

‘ Go hold your tongue,’ her father said,65
‘ There’s little cause for sorrow ;66
I’ll wed ye on a better lad67
Than ye ha’e lost in Yarrow.’68

18.

‘ Haud your ain tongue, my faither
dear,69
I canna’ help my sorrow ;70
A fairer flower ne’r sprang in May71
Than I ha’e lost in Yarrow.72

19.

‘ I mearit to make my bed fu’ wide,73
But you may make it narrow,74
For now I’ve nane to be my guide,75
But a deid man drowned in Yarrow.’76

20.

An’ aye she screighed and cried, ‘Alas !77
Till her heart did break wi’ sorrow,78
An’ sank into her father’s arms,79
’ Mang the dowie dens o’ Yarrow.’80