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I
THERE were twa sisters sat in a bour; | |
| Binnorie, O Binnorie! | |
| There cam a knight to be their wooer, | |
| By the bonnie milldams o’ Binnorie. | |
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II
He courted the eldest with glove and ring, | 5 |
| But he lo’ed the youngest abune a’ thing. | |
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III
The eldest she was vexèd sair, | |
| And sair envìed her sister fair. | |
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IV
Upon a morning fair and clear, | |
| She cried upon her sister dear: | 10 |
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V
‘O sister, sister, tak my hand, | |
| And we’ll see our father’s ships to land.’ | |
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VI
She’s ta’en her by the lily hand, | |
| And led her down to the river-strand. | |
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VII
The youngest stood upon a stane, | 15 |
| The eldest cam and push’d her in. | |
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VIII
‘O sister, sister, reach your hand! | |
| And ye sall be heir o’ half my land: | |
| |
IX
‘O sister, reach me but your glove! | |
| And sweet William sall be your love.’— | 20 |
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X
‘Foul fa’ the hand that I should take; | |
| It twin’d me o’ my warldis make. | |
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XI
‘Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair | |
| Gar’d me gang maiden evermair.’ | |
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XII
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam | 25 |
| Until she cam to the miller’s dam. | |
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XIII
Out then cam the miller’s son, | |
| And saw the fair maid soummin’ in. | |
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XIV
‘O father, father, draw your dam! | |
| There’s either a mermaid or a milk-white swan.’ | 30 |
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XV
The miller hasted and drew his dam, | |
| And there he found a drown’d womàn. | |
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XVI
You couldna see her middle sma,’ | |
| Her gowden girdle was sae braw. | |
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XVII
You couldna see her lily feet, | 35 |
| Her gowden fringes were sae deep. | |
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XVIII
You couldna see her yellow hair | |
| For the strings o’ pearls was twisted there. | |
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XIX
You couldna see her fingers sma,’ | |
| Wi’ diamond rings they were cover’d a’. | 40 |
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XX
And by there cam a harper fine, | |
| That harpit to the king at dine. | |
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XXI
And when he look’d that lady on, | |
| He sigh’d and made a heavy moan. | |
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XXII
He’s made a harp of her breast-bane, | 45 |
| Whose sound wad melt a heart of stane. | |
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XXIII
He’s ta’en three locks o’ her yellow hair, | |
| And wi’ them strung his harp sae rare. | |
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XXIV
He went into her father’s hall, | |
| And there was the court assembled all. | 50 |
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XXV
He laid his harp upon a stane, | |
| And straight it began to play by lane. | |
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XXVI
‘O yonder sits my father, the King, | |
| And yonder sits my mother, the Queen; | |
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XXVII
‘And yonder stands my brother Hugh, | 55 |
| And by him my William, sweet and true.’ | |
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XXVIII
But the last tune that the harp play’d then— | |
| Binnorie, O Binnorie! | |
| Was, ‘Woe to my sister, false Helèn!’ | |
| By the bonnie milldams o’ Binnorie. | 60 |
| | | GLOSS: twin’d] robbed, deprived. my warldis make] my one mate in the world. soummin’] swimming. by lane] alone, of itself. |
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