Ca' The Yowes Tae The Knowes Robert Burns Song Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the Ca' the Yowes tae the Knowes song by Robert Burns set to a slide show of Scottish Sheep. Burns originally heard the song sung by John Clunie, born 1757, died 1819, a schoolmaster and precentor at Markinch in Fife.

Ca' the yowes to the knowes ,
Ca' them where the heather grows,
Ca' them where the burnie rowes ,
My bonie dearie

As I gaed down the water-side,
There I met my shepherd lad:
He row'd me sweetly in his plaid,
And he ca'd me his dearie.

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.

Ye sall get gowns and ribbons meet,
Cauf-leather shoon upon your feet,
And in my arms ye'se lie and sleep,
An' ye sall be my dearie.

If ye'll but stand to what ye've said,
I'se gang wi' thee, my shepherd lad,
And ye may row me in your plaid,
And I sall be your dearie.

While waters wimple to the sea,
While day blinks in the lift sae hie ,
Till clay-cauld death sall blin' my e'e ,
Ye sall be my dearie.

Ca' the yowes to the knowes ,
Ca' them where the heather grows,
Ca' them where the burnie rowes ,
My bonie dearie

Meaning of Scots words:
yowes means ewes
knowes means knolls, hills
burnie means small stream
rowes means rolls along
mavis means song thrush
a-faulding means put in a sheep fold
gang means go
gae means go
ghaist means ghost
bogle means demon

The only occasion that Robert Burns visited Perth, Perthshire, was towards the end of his 22 day tour of the Highlands during August and September, 1787.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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