The Swan Swims Bonny O- Hunt (Ire) 1892, Kidson
[From: Frank Kidson Manuscript Collection (FK/2/3). Published in Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Volume 2 by Folk-Song Society (Great Britain), 1905.
The last stanza appears first and should be moved to the end. An expanded arrangement has been made (see text at bottom).
R. Matteson 2018]
The Swan Swims Bonny O- sung by Irishman W.H. Lunt of Liverpool in 1892, who got it from an old Irish woman when he was young. Text and melody Frank Kidson Manuscript Collection (FK/2/3).
And there does sit my false sister Anne,
Hey ho, my Nanny, O,
Who drowned me for the sake of a man,
Where the swan swims so bonny, O.
The farmer's daughter being dressed in red,
Hey ho, my Nanny, O,
She went for some water to make her bread,
Where the swan swims so bonny, O.
They laid her on the bank to dry,
Hey ho, my Nanny, O,
There came a harper passing by,
Where the swan swims so bonny, O.
He made a harp of her breast-bone,
Hey ho, my Nanny, O,
And the harp began to play alone,
Where the swan swims so bonny, O.
He made harp-pins of her fingers so fair,
Hey ho, my Nanny, O,
He made his harp-strings of her golden hair.
Where the swan swims so bonny, O.
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Source: Palmer, Roy, 1998, A Book of British Ballads, Llanerch
A farmer there lived in the North Country
(Hey, ho, Nanny, O)
And he had daughters, one, two three
(Where the swan swims so bonny, O)
These daughters they walked be the river's brim,
And the eldest pushed the youngest in.
"Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand,
And I will give you house and land."
"I'll neither give you hand nor glove,
Unless you give me your own true love."
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
Until she came to the miller's dam.
The miller's daughter, being dressed in red,
She went to the water to make her bread.
"O father, oh daddy, here swims a swan,
And its very like to a gentlewoman."
They laid her on the bank to dry;
There came a harper passing by.
He made a harp of her breast-bone,
And the harp began to play alone.
He made harp-pins of her fingers so fair,
He made his harp-strings of her golden hair.
He brought it to her father's hall;
There was the court assembled all.
He laid the harp upon a stone
And straight it began to play alone.
"O yonder sits my father the king,
And yonder sits my mother the queen.
"And yonder sits my brother, Hugh,
And by him my William, sweet and true.
"And there does sit my false sister, Anne,
Who drowned me for the sake of a man."