There were twa sisters sat in a bower;
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There came a knight to be their wooer.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
He courted the eldest with glove and ring,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
But he lo'ed the youngest aboon a' thing.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
He courted the eldest with broach and knife,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
But he lo'ed the youngest aboon his life.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The eldest she was vex-ed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sore envied her sister fair.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Go and see our father's ships come in
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
She's ta'en her by her lily hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And led her down to the river strand.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The youngest stood upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The eldest came and pushed her in.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And ye shall be heir o' half my land.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And I'll be heir of all your land.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sweet William shall be your love.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Sweet William shall better be my love.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Until she came to the miller's dam.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The miller's daughter was baking bread
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And gave her water as she had need.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'O father, father, draw your dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There's either a mermaid or a milk-white swan.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And there he found a drowned woman.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
Ye could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
A famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
And when he looked that ladye on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
He sighed and made a heavy moan.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
He made a harp o' her breast-bone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There notes made sad the listening ear.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
He brought it to her father's hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There was the court assembled all.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
He laid the harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And straight it began to play alone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And yonder sits my mother, the queen.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
'And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And by him my William, sweet and true.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
But the last tune that the harp played then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Was 'Woe to my sister, false Helen!'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
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