My Willie is brave, my Willie is tall,
My Willie is one that is bonny.
He promised that he'd marry me
If ever he'd marry any,
If ever he'd marry any,
He'd promised that he'd marry me
If ever he marry any.

My Willie is to them huntings gone,
I fear he's gone to tarry.
He sent a letter back to me
Saying he was too young to marry,
Saying he was too young to marry.
He sent a letter back to me
Saying he was too young to marry.

Last night I dreamed a dreadful dream,
I fear it will bring sorrow.
I dreamed I was reaping the heather so green
Down by the banks of Ero---

'Well, I will read your dream to you,
I'll read it with grief and sorrow,
That before tomorrow night you hear
Of your Willie being drowned in Ero'---

I sought him east, I sought him west,
I sought him through a valley,
And underneath the edge of a rock
Was the corpse of my Willie lying---

Her hair was full three-quarters long,
The colour it was yellow,
And around the waist of her Willie she turned
To pull him out of Ero---

They buried him the very next day,
They buried him with grief and sorrow.
They buried him the very next day
Upon the banks of Ero---



abc | midi | pdf

---

Source: The Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs.

Notes:
Notes abridged from The Penguin Book.

The ballad that Child lists as 'Rare Willie Drowned in Yarrow', or 'The Waters of Gamrie', is much rarer in tradition to 'The Braes of Yarrow', and existing versions suggest that the two have been confused, or as Child suggests that they overlap.

It is interesting that verse 6 of 'Willie Drowned in Ero' and verse 12 of 'The Dewy Dells of Yarrow' and verse 10 of 'the Dowie Dens of Yarrow' are virtually identical.

Roud: 206 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child: 215