Ca' The Ewes Tae The Knowes

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s cast and dance down own sides for 4 bars and turning out dance back to the top
9-16 1s turn RH, cast 1 place, dance ½ Fig of 8 round 2s and cross to top for...
17-24 1s+2s dance Allemande
25-32 2s+1s dance R&L

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Ca' The Ewes Tae The Knowes - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

(Dance information copyright, reproduced here with the kind permission of George Williams)

Ca' The Ewes (Yowes) Tae The Knowes means 'drive the ewes to the knolls' (ewes are female sheep, knolls are small hills or mounds).

This was the title of a traditional song collected by Robert Burns. He adapted it with minor alterations and two new stanzas. This version was published in the "Scots Musical Museum" (a collection of Scottish folk songs) in 1790.
Burns further modified the song in 1794 and it was published by George Thomson. The later version contained what Burns referred to as "a few pastoral lines following up the idea of the chorus". The chorus is as follows:

Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes Song - Information Video

Ca' The Ewes Tae The Knowes
Flock Of Sheep To The South Of Bengairn Summit, Scotland

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