THE TWA SISTERS—Y
[_]
Communicated to Percy, April 7, 1770, and April 19,
1775, by the Rev. P. Parsons, of Wye, near Ashford, Kent.
1
There was a king lived in the North Country,
Hey down down dery down
There was a king lived in the North Country,
And the bought it was bent to me
There was a king lived in the North Country,
And he had daughters one, two, three.
I'll prove true to my love,
If my love will prove true to me.
[OMITTED]
2
He gave the eldest a gay gold ring,
But he gave the younger a better thing.
3
He bought the younger a beaver hat;
The eldest she thought much of that.
4
‘Oh sister, oh sister, let us go run,
To see the ships come sailing along!’
5
And when they got to the sea-side brim,
The eldest pushed the younger in.
6
‘Oh sister, oh sister, lend me your hand,
I'll make you heir of my house and land.’
7
‘I'll neither lend you my hand nor my glove,
Unless you grant me your true-love.’
8
Then down she sunk and away she swam,
Untill she came to the miller's mill-dam.
9
The miller's daughter sat at the mill-door,
As fair as never was seen before.
10
‘Oh father, oh father, there swims a swan,
Or else the body of a dead woman.’
11
The miller he ran with his fishing hook,
To pull the fair maid out o the brook.
12
‘Wee'll hang the miller upon the mill-gate,
For drowning of my sister Kate.’
