Two Sisters (12)
There were three sisters lived in a hall
Hey with the gay and the grandeur O
And there came a lord to court them all
At the bonnie bows o London town
He courted the eldest with a penknife
And he vowed that he would take her life
He courted the youngest with a glove
And he said that he'd be her true love
'O sister, O sister, will you go and take a walk
And see our father's ships how they float?
'O lean your foot upon the stone
And wash your hand in that sea foam.'
She leaned her foot upon the stone
But her eldest sister has tumbled her down
'O sister, O sister, give me your hand
And I'll make you lady of all my land.'
'O I'll not lend to you my hand
But I'll be lady of your land.'
'O sister, sister, give me your glove
And I'll make you lady of my true love.'
'It's I'll not lend to you my glove
But I'll be lady of your true love.'
Sometimes she sank, and sometimes she swam
Until she came to a miller's dam
The miller's daughter was coming out wi speed
For water for to bake some bread
'O father, father, stop the dam
For it's either a lady or a milk-white swan.'
He dragged her out unto the shore
And stripped her of all she wore
By cam a fiddler, and he was fair
And he buskit his bow in her bonnie yellow hair
By cam her father's harper, and he was fine
And he made a harp o her bonny breast-bone
When they came to her father's court
The harp and the fiddle these words spoke:
'O God bless my father the king
And I wish the same to my mother the queen
Child #10
MX
apr00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!