The Twa Sisters

I says to my dear sister, "Are ye comin' for to walk?"
"Ayee O, an' sae bonnie, O"
"An it's I'll show you wonders before we go back."
And the Swan it swims sae bonnie, O.

Put your foot on a marble stone
An'd I'll show ye wonders before ye go home.

But miller, O miller, come dry up your dam
For I see a made all white like a swan.

But the miller, he quickly, he dried the dam
And he took out the maid all white like a swan.

He took out the maid and he hung 'er up to dry,
And there was three fiddlers passin' by.

There was one o' them he took three lengths o' her hair
Ayee, O an' sae bonnie, O
There was anither o' them took her breast bone.
And the swan it swims sae bonnie, O
There to make a fiddle-head to play a tune upon.

But those three fiddlers was playin' guan along
Until they came tae the castle sae high.

But fiddlers, sweet fiddlers and let them b guan
Out then it speaks, her father, the king,
Ayee O an' sae bonnie, O
And out it speaks her father, says to Jean
And the swan it swims sae bonnie, O

There sits my father the king
And there sits my mother, the queen.

And there sits my false sister, Jean
Who drowned me against the stream.

Notes: Last two verses from singing of Willie Kelby and Mr.White

Child #10
From Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland. E MacC, PS

RG