The Twa Sisters- Mrs. Brown (Jamieson) 1806 Child Version B. Variant d from Jamieson
[From: Popular Ballads and Songs: from tradition, manuscripts, and scarce editions- Volume 1; edited by Robert Jamieson, 1806. Footnote moved to the end.]
THE TWA SISTERS
OF this piece, the whole text is given verbatim, as it was taken from the recitation of the lady in Fifeshire, [refers to Mrs. Anna Gordon Brown. For a biography see: Child B 1783] to whom this publication, as well as Mr Scott's, is so much indebted. Another copy was transmitted to the editor, by Mrs Arrott of Aberbrothick; but as it furnished no readings by which the text could have been materially improved, it has not been used. In both these, the burden was the same as is specified by Mr Scott, (" Border Minstrelsy," vol. ii. p. 144.) which seems to have belonged to some other ditty; and indeed it is sung with several different burdens.
From the parody, inserted among the humorous ballads in this collection, it appears, that this romantic tale was popular in England before the year 1656. Mr Pinkerton published, among his tragic ballads, a piece on the same subject, into which he has introduced a few mutilated scraps of the original, declaring, that he could not tell which lines were genuine, and which were not. The following copy, in the exact state in which it now appears, was shewn by the editor to Mr Scott, some years before the publication of the Minstrelsy, and before he had any thoughts of adopting it.
The interpolations are, stanzas ip. 20. 27- 28. 29- 31. 35. &c. to the end, which were all introduced where they were supposed to be either necessary or proper, without interfering at all with the integrity of the text, which is given, for the scrupulous antiquary, exactly as I found it. These stanzas are included within brackets.
THE TWA SISTERS
There was twa sisters liv'd in a bower,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!*)
There came a knight to be their wooer,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
He courted the eldest wi' glove and ring,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
But he loved the youngest aboon a' thing,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
He courted the eldest wi' broach and knife,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
But he loved the youngest as his life,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The eldest she was vexed sair,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And sair envied her sister fair,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
Intill her bower she coudna rest,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Wi' grief and spite she maistly brast,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
Upon a morning fair and clear,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
She cried upon her sister dear,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, come to yon sea strand,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And see our father's ships come to land,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."
She's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And led her down to yon sea strand,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The youngest stood upon a stane,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
The eldest came and threw her in,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
She took her by the middle sma',
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And dashed her bonny back to the jaw,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, sister, tak my hand,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And I'se mak ye heir to a' my land,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, sister, tak my middle,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And ye's get my goud and my gouden girdle,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Biunorie.
"O sister, sister, save my life,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And I swear I'se never be nae man's wife,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."
"Foul fa' the hand that I should tak,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
It twin'd me o' my wardles mak,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"Your cherry cheeks and yellow hair
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Gars me gang maiden for evermair,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Till she came to the mouth o' yon mill-dam
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
O out it came the miller's son,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And saw the fair maid soummin in,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O father, father, draw your dam,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
There's either a mermaid or a swan,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."
[The miller quickly drew the dam,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And there he found a drown'd woman,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
[" Sair will they be, whae'er they be,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Their hearts that live to weep for thee,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
"And sair and lang mat their teen last,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
That wrought thee sic a dowie cast,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!"
You coudna see her yellow hair
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
For goud and pearl that was sae rare,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
You coudna see her middle sma
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
For gouden girdle that was sae braw,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
You coudna see her fingers white
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
For gouden rings that were sae gryte,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
And by there came a harper fine,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
That harped to the king at dine,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!
Whan he did look that lady upon,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
["O wha sall tell to thy father dear
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
The sad and waefu' sicht is here,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
"And wha in thy mither's bower sall tell
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
The weird her dearest bairn befell
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
["And wha to thy luckless love sall speak,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
The tidings will do his heart to break,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."]
He's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And wi' them strung his harp sae fair,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
[And the harp untouch'd to the windis rang,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
And heavy and dulefu' was the sang,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
The first tune it did play and sing,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Was, "Fareweel to my father the king,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."
The nexten tune that it play'd seen
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Was, "Fareweel to my mither the queen,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."
The thirden tune that it play'd then,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Was, "Wae to my sister, fair Ellen,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!"
[But the lasten tune it play'd sae sma
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
Was saft, and sadly sweet o'er a',
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
[The hardest heart wad bled to hear;
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
It maen'd wi' sic a dowie cheir,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
["And fareweel, O fareweel to thee,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
The dearest youth on life to me,
By the bonny, mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
["Sin I maun bless thy heart nae mair,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)
May ruing Heaven mees thy care,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie."]
________________
Footnote:
* It may be necessary, euphonia gratia, to caution the English reader, that the burden is pronounced Binnorie, and not Binnorie, as it is accented in a beautiful little modern ballad bearing that name, which appeared in the Morning Chronicle some time ago.