THE TWA SISTERS—G
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 104. From Mrs King, Kilbarchan.
1
There were three sisters lived in a bouir,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And the youngest was the fairest flouir.
And the swan swims bonnie O
2
‘O sister, sister, gang down to yon sand,
And see your father's ships coming to dry land.’
3
O they have gane down to yonder sand,
To see their father's ships coming to dry land.
4
‘Gae set your fit on yonder stane,
Till I tye up your silken goun.’
5
She set her fit on yonder stane,
And the auldest drave the youngest in.
6
‘O sister, sister, tak me by the hand,
And ye'll get a' my father's land.
7
‘O sister, sister, tak me by the gluve,
An ye'll get Willy, my true luve.’
8
She had a switch into her hand,
And ay she drave her frae the land.
9
O whiles she sunk, and whiles she swam,
Until she swam to the miller's dam.
10
The miller's daughter gade doun to Tweed,
To carry water to bake her bread.
11
‘O father, O father, what's yon in the dam?
It's either a maid or a milk-white swan.’
12
They have tane her out till yonder thorn,
And she has lain till Monday morn.
13
She hadna, hadna twa days lain,
Till by there came a harper fine.
14
He made a harp o her breast-bane,
That he might play forever thereon.
