Two Sisters- Maguire (AR) 1958 Parler
[Version of The Two Sisters from Ozark Folksong Collection, Reel 244 Item 2. Collected by: James Ward Lee and Ralph E. Roberts for Mary Celestia Parler; transcribed by James Ward Lee and Ralph E. Roberts
R. Matteson 2014]
Brief bio on the collector: Mary Celestia Parler married Vance Randolph in 1962 after working with him for over 12 years. She was born in South Carolina in 1904, the daughter of a country doctor and farmer, Marvin Lamar Parler, and a local historian, writer, and teacher, Josie Platt Parler. A Chaucer scholar she move to Arkansas in 1948 and launched the Arkansas Folklore Research Project through her Arkansas Folklore courses at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. From 1949-1965, Parler, her research assistants, who included Max Hunter and students made 3,640 audio folklore and folksong recordings.
Two Sisters- Sung by Lizzie Maguire of Fayetteville, Arkansas; August 8, 1958.
There was an old woman lived on a sea shore,
Bow down bow down,
There was an old woman lived on a sea shore,
Come bow your bends to me,
There was an old woman lived on a sea shore,
And she had daughters- three or four,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
There was a young man went a courting there,
Bow down bow down,
There was a young man went a courting there,
Come bow your bends to me,
There was a young man went a courting there,
And he picked on the youngest fair,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
He bought his love a gay gold ring,
Bow down bow down,
He bought his love a gay gold ring,
Come bow your bends to me,
He bought his love a gay gold ring,
And the oldest not a single thing,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
Sister, oh sister let's take a walk,
Bow down bow down,
Sister oh sister let's take a walk,
Come bow your bends to me,
Sister, oh sister let's take a walk,
That we may have a social talk,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
They walked along the river brink,
Bow down bow down,
They walked along the river brink,
Come bow your bends to me,
They walked along the river brink,
The oldest pushed the youngest in,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
Sister, oh sister lend me your hand,
Bow down bow down,
Sister, oh sister lend me your hand,
Come bow your bends to me,
Sister oh sister lend me your hand,
That I might go home again,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
Sister oh sister I'll give you my rings,
Bow down bow down,
Sister oh sister I'll give you my rings,
Come bow your bends to me,
Sister oh sister I'll give you my rings,
If you will take me home again.
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
Off of those fingers I pulled those rings,
Bow down bow down,
Off of those fingers I pulled those rings,
Come bow your bends to me,
Off of those fingers I pulled those rings,
And pushed her back in again,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.
They hung that boy on a gallows, so high,
Bow down bow down,
They hung that boy on a gallows so high,
Come bow your bends to me,
They hung that boy on a gallows so high,
And the sisters ride close by,
And I'll be true, true to my love,
If he'll be true to me.