Benorie- Campbell; c.1860s, Child Version V
[Child V which was added by Kittredge is from the manuscripts of John Francis Campbell, author of Popular Tales of the West Highlands published in multiple volumes in the 1860s. No date was given and no information is available.]
BENORIE- Campbell Manuscript, II, 88. c. 1860s
1 There dwelt twa sisters in a bower,
Benorie, O Benorie
The youngest o them was the fairest flower.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
2 There cam a wooer them to woo,
Benorie, O Benorie
. . . . . . . . . .
In the merry milldams o Benorie
3 He's gien the eldest o them a broach and a real,
Benorie, O Benorie
Because that she loved her sister weel.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
4 He's gien the eldest a gay penknife,
Benorie, O Benorie
He loved the youngest as dear as his life.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
5 'O sister, O sister, will ye go oer yon glen,
Benorie, O Benorie
And see my father's ships coming in?'
At the merry milldams o Benorie
6 'O sister dear, I darena gang,
Benorie, O Benorie
Because I'm feard ye throw me in.'
The merry milldams o Benorie
7 'O set your foot on yon sea stane,
Benorie, O Benorie
And was yeer hands in the sea foam.'
At the merry milldams o Benorie
8 She set her foot on yon sea stane,
Benorie, O Benorie
To wash her hands in the sea foam.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
9 . . . . .
Benorie, O Benorie
But the eldest has thrown the youngest in.
The merry milldams o Benorie
10 'O sister, O sister, lend me your hand,
Benorie, O Benorie
And ye'se get William and a' his land.'
At the merry milldams o Benorie
11 The miller's daughter cam out clad in red,
Benorie, O Benorie
Seeking water to bake her bread.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
12 'O father, O father, gae fish yeer mill-dam,
Benorie, O Benorie
There's either a lady or a milk-[white] swan.'
In the merry milldams o Benorie
13 The miller cam out wi his lang cleek,
Benorie, O Benorie
And he cleekit the lady out by the feet.
From the merry milldam o Benorie
14 Ye wadna kend her pretty feet,
Benorie, O Benorie
The American leather was sae neat.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
15 Ye wadna kend her pretty legs,
Benorie, O Benorie
The silken stockings were so neat tied.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
16 Ye wadna kend her pretty waist,
Benorie, O Benorie
The silken stays were sae neatly laced.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
17 Ye wadna kend her pretty face,
Benorie, O Benorie
It was sae prettily preend oer wi lace.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
18 Ye wadna kend her yellow hair,
Benorie, O Benorie
It was sae besmeared wi dust and glar.
In the merry milldams o Benorie
19 By cam her father's fiddler fine,
Benorie, O Benorie
And that lady's spirit spake to him.
From the merry milldams o Benorie
20 She bad him take three taits o her hair,
Benorie, O Benorie
And make them three strings to his fiddle sae rare.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
21 'Take two of my fingers, sae lang and sae white,
Benorie, O Benorie
And make them pins to your fiddle sae neat.'
At the merry milldams o Benorie
22 The ae first spring that the fiddle played
Benorie, O Benorie
Was, Cursed be Sir John, my ain true-love.
At the merry milldams o Benorie
23 The next spring that the fiddle playd
Benorie, O Benorie
Was, Burn burd Hellen, she threw me in.
The the merry milldams o Benorie
_____________________
Footnotes: V.
2, 3. In the Manuscript thus:
There came ...
Benorie ...
He's gien ...
At the merry
Because that ...
At the merry ...
8, 9. In the Manuscript thus:
She set ...
Benorie
To wash ...
At the ...
But the eldest .
The bonny ...
From 18 on, the burden is
O Benorie, O Benorie.