Two Sisters- Walters (NL) 1920 Greenleaf/Mansfield
[My title. From Ballads and Sea-Songs of Newfoundland by Elizabeth Bristol Greenleaf, Grace Yarrow Mansfield - 1933. The refrain is similar to the archaic Scottish Bows of London refrain.
R. Matteson 2018]
Two Sisters- Sung by Mrs. Walters, (Senior), Rocky Harbor, 1920.
1 There was two sisters named Jane Mary Anne,
I was a gay and a gandy,
They both was loved by one young man,
Going down by the bonny boos[1] of London.
2 Her father give the oldest a gay gold ring,
And he loved the youngest twice as much.
3 Said the oldest to the youngest one day:
"We'll go and watch our father's ships sailing in."
4 The oldest put her foot upon the stone,
The youngest shoved shoved her in all alone.
5 The miller come out with his fishing pan,
He brought this lady on dry land.
6 He did not know her beautiful face,
For it was covered all in lace.
7 He did not know her yellow hair,
For the lumps of gold was hanging there.
8 One day her true love was passing by,
And out from her a ghost did cry.
9 "Tell Sweet William my own true love,"
I was a gay and a gandy,
"That here I'm drownded all alone,"
Going down by the bonny boos of London.
1. bows- not sure why it was written "boos"