Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Ca' the Yowes 1

Traditional

“Ca' the Yowes 1” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 67 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Ca' the yowes to the knowes,

Ca' them whare the heather grows,

Ca' them whare the burnie rows,

My bonnie dearie.

As I gaed down the water side,

There I met my shepherd lad,

He row'd me sweetly in his plaid,

And ca'd me his dearie.

Ca' the ewes, &c.

Will ye gang down the water side,

And see the waves sae sweetly glide

Beneath the hazels spreading wide,

The moon it shines fu' clearly.

Ca' the yowes, &c.

I was bred up at nae sic school,

My shepherd lad, to play the fool;

And a' the day to sit in dool,

And nae body to see me.

Ca' the yowes, &c.

Ye shall get gowns and ribbons meet,

Cauf leather shoon upon your feet,

And in my arms ye'se lie and sleep,

And ye shall be my dearie.

Ca' the yowes, &c.

If ye'll but stand to what ye've said,

I'se gang wi' you, my shepherd lad;

And ye may row me in your plaid,

And I shall be your dearie.

Ca' the yowes, &c.

While waters wimple to the sea,

While day blinks in the lift sae hie;

Till clay-cauld death shall blin' my e'e,

Ye aye shall be my dearie.

Ca' the yowes, &c.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Ca' the Yowes 1”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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