[The Oldest Sister] The Miller's Daughters- Goodhue (AR) 1930; Randolph Version A
[My title. From Ozark Folksongs, Vol. 1, Ballads; by Vance Randolph, 1946.
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
[The Oldest Sister] The Miller's Daughters- Mr. F. M. Goodhue (Mena, Ark.) July 9, 1930; Randolph Version A; learned from a blind woman in the hills of Mena, Arkansas.
First he bought her was a beaver hat,
Bow she bent to me.
The older sister did not like that,
I'll be kind to my true love,
If you'll be kind to me.
Next he bought her a gay gold ring
Bow she bent to me.
The older sister did not say a thing,
I'll be kind to my true love,
If you'll be kind to me.
Sis, oh sis, let us walk out,
Bow she bent to me,
Sis, oh sis, let us walk out
An' see the ships a-sailin' about,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
They walked till they come to the salt-cellar brim,[1]
Bow she bent to me,
They walked till they come to the salt-cellar brim,
The oldest pushed the youngest in,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
Sis, oh sis, hold down your hand,
Bow she bent to me,
Sis, oh sis, hold down your hand,
An' I'll give you my house an' land,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
Sis, oh sis, hold down your glove,
Bow she bent to me,
Sis, oh sis, hold down your glove,
An' I'll give you my own true love,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
Miller, oh miller, yonder swims a swan,
Bow she bent to me,
Miller, oh miller, yonder swims a swan,
A-swimmin' down in your mill pond,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
The miller run out with his fish-hook,
Bow she bent to me,
The miller run out with his fish-hook
An' he drawed her out of that big brook,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
He took five gold rings off her fingers,
Bow she bent to me,
He took five gold rings off her fingers,
An' pushed her back in that big river,
I'll be kind to my true love
If You'll be kind to me.
The miller was hung by his mill gate,
Bow she bent to me,
The miller was hung by his mill gate,
For drowndin' of my sister Kate,
I'll be kind to my true love
If You'll be kind to me.
The miller was hung on a limb so high,
Bow she bent to me,
The miller was hung on a limb so high,
Th oldest sister was burnt close by,
I'll be kind to my true love
If you'll be kind to me.
1. salt-sea brim