The Cruel Sister
There were two sisters sat in a bour,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
There came a knight to be their wooer;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He courted the eldest with glove and ring,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
But he lo’ed the youngest abune a’ thing;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He courted the eldest with broach and knife,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
But he lo’ed the youngest abune his life;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest she was vexed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sore envied her sister fair;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
“Will ye go and see your father’s ships come in?”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
She’s ta’en her by the lily hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And led her down to the river strand;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The youngest stude upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The eldest came and pushed her in;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
She took her by the middle sma’,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And dash’d her bonny back to the jaw;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And ye shall be heir of half my land.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“O sister, I’ll not reach my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And I’ll be heir of all your land;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“Shame fa’ the hand that I should take,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
It’s twin’d me, and my world’s make.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sweet William shall be your love.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove!
Binnorie, O Binnorie:
And sweet William shall better be my love,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Garr’d me gang maiden evermair.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Until she cam to the miller’s dam;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“O father, father, draw your dam!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
There’s either a mermaid, or a milk-white swan.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there he found a drown’d woman;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could na see her middle sma’.
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Her gowden girdle was sae bra’;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
A famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
And when he looked that lady on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
He sigh’d and made a heavy moan;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He made a harp of her breast-bone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose notes made sad the listening ear;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He brought it to her father’s hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there was the court assembled all;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He laid this harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And straight it began to play alone!
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
“And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And by him my William, sweet and true.”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
But the last tune that the harp play’d then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Was—“Woe to my sister, false Helen!”—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.