Bilnorie- Peter Christie (Aber) 1931 Carpenter
[From: James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11501. This version resembles Walter Scott's version, Child C and may be a shortened variant (missing most of the ending) of that version. Not the standard Scottish version of Child M.
R. Matteson 2018]
"Bilnorie," sung by Peter Christie (b. 1870) of 21 Shore Road, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire about 1931.
1 There twa sisters lived in a booer,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
There was a knicht to be their wooer,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
2 He courted the eldest wi' glove an' ring,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
But the youngest he loved abeen a' thing,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
3 The eldest's heart was vexed saer,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
An' she envied her sister dear
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
4 The eldest said to the youngest een,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
Will ye gang an' see oor father's ships coming in,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O?
5. She's ta'en her sister by the hand,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And led her by the river strand,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
6. Her sister stood upon a steen,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And the eldest cam and shoved her in,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
6. O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And ye shall be heir o' all your land,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
7. "O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And I shall be heir o' all your land,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
8. O sister, sister, reach your glove,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And Sweet William shall be your love,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
9. O sister, I'll not reach my glove,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And Sweet William shall better be my love,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
10 Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
Until she cam to the millet's dam,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
11. The millet's dochter was bakin breid,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And gaed for water as she need,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
11. "O father father, draw your dam,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
There's a mermaid or a milk-white swan,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O."
12. Her father hastened and drew the dam,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
And there he found a drowned woman,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
13. He couldna see her yellow hair,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
For gowd and pearls hung to her ear,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
14. He couldna see her lily feet,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
Her golden girdle hung so deep,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
15. "Sair will they be, whae'er they be,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
The heart that lives to weep for thee,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O."
16. When by there cam a harper fine,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
He harped the nobles when they dine,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.
17. He made a harp o her breistbone,
Bilnorie O Bilnorie
Wha's tune would melt the heart o steen,
By the bonnie milldams o Bilnorie O.