The Twa Sisters- Kinnear (Mearn) 1826 Kinloch Child I
[From Kinloch Manuscripts, B, 425. 1827, p.136. Standard refrains from Child C 1802 and Child N, 1778.
R. Matteson 2018]
"The Twa Sisters." From the recitation of M. Kinnear, the editor's niece from Mearnshire, north of Scotland on 23d August, 1826.
1 There war twa sisters lived in a bouer,
Binnorie and Binnorie
There cam a squire to court them baith.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie.
2 He courted the eldest with Jewels and rings,
Binnorie and Binnorie
But he lovd the youngest the best of all things.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie.
3 He courted the eldest with a penknife,
Binnorie and Binnorie
He lovd the youngest as dear as his life.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
4 It fell ance upon a day
Binnorie and Binnorie
That these twa sisters hae gane astray.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
5 It was for to meet their father's ships that had come in.
Binnorie and Binnorie
. . . . .
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
6 As they walked up the linn,
Binnorie and Binnorie
The eldest dang the youngest in.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
7 'O sister, sister, tak my hand,
Binnorie and Binnorie
And ye'll hae Lud John and aw his land.'
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
8 With a silver wand she pushd her in,
Binnorie and Binnorie
. . . . .
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
9 'O sister, sister, tak my glove,
Binnorie and Binnorie
And ye sall hae my ain true love.'
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
10 The miller's dochter cam out wi speed.
Binnorie and Binnorie
It was for a water to bake her bread.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
11 'O father, father, gae slack your dam;
Binnorie and Binnorie
There's either a white fish or a swan.'
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
* * * * *
12 Bye cam a blind fiddler that way,
Binnorie and Binnorie
And he took three tets o her bonnie yellow hair.
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
13 And the first spring that he playd,
Binnorie and Binnorie
It said, 'It was my sister threw me in.'
At the bonnie mill-streams o Binnorie
____________________
Footnotes:
1[2], var. in manuscript. There was a knicht and he loved them bath.
7. The following stanza was subsequently written on an opposite blank page, perhaps derived from D8:
Foul fa the hand that I wad take,
To twin me and my warld's make.