come all ye young fellows that handle a gun beware of night rambling by the setting of the sun and beware of an accident that happened of late to young molly ban and sad was her fate she was going to her uncle 's when a shower came on she went under a green bush the shower to shun her white apron wrapped around her he took her for a swan but a hush and a sigh 't was his own molly ban he quickly ran to her and found she was dead and there on her bosom many salt-tears he shed he ran home to his father with his gun in his hand saying `` father , dear father i have shot molly ban '' her white apron wrapped around her he took her for a swan but a hush and a sigh 't was his own molly ban he roamed near the place where his true love was slain he wept bitter tears but his cries were in vain as he looked on the lake a swan glided by and the sun slowly sank in the gray of sky `` how do you know it ? ''