Minorie- William Miller (Stir) 1960 MacColl
[Seeger & MacColl, Singing Island (1960) p.85; The Long Harvest, record 1, ballad 1, Version A. Although attributed to his father, it more likely an arrangement by MacColl. Bell Robertson used the same name for her Version.
R. Matteson 2018]
Minorie- attributed to William Miller of Sterlingshire, Scotland before 1960.
(acc. Appalachian dulcimer)
1 There lived twa sisters in ane bower,
Minorie, O, Minorie,
There cam' a young man to be their wooer,
On the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
2 He coorted the eldest wi' a' his land,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
He coorted the youngest wi' his right hand
On the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
3 He gied the eldest a brooch and ring,
Minorie, O, Minorie,
But he loo'ed the youngest abune a' thing
On the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
4 He coorted the eldest wi' his penknife,
Minorie, O, Minorie,
But he loo'ed the youngest abune his life,
On the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
5 O sister, sister, ye'll gang to the broom,
Minorie, O, Minorie,
And we'll maybe hear the blackbird change its tune,
And we'll maybe see the lads o' Minorie;
6 They walked up and they walked doon,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
And thrice the blackbird changed his tune,
But they never saw the lads o' Minorie.
7 O sister, sister, ye'll gang to the dam,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
To see gin oor faither's ship be comin' in,
To the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
8 They went to the dam and they stood on a stone,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
And the eldest dang the youngest in,
To the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
9 O she swam up and she swam doon,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
Till she swam to where her sister did stand,
On the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
10 O sister, sister, tak' me by the hand,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
And ye'll get the miller lad and a' his land,
He's the bonnie miller lad o' Minorie.
11 It wasna for that that I danged ye in,
Minorie, O, Minorie,
But you was fair and I was dun,
And ye'll droon in the dams o' Minorie.
12 The miller's ae dochter gaed oot to the dam,
Minorie, O, Minorie;
For water to wash her faither's hands,
By the bonnie dam sides o' Minorie.
13 O faither, O faither, come to the dam
Minorie, O, Minorie,
There's either a maid or a milk-white swan
She is drooned in the dams o' Minorie.
14 There was nane o' them kent her there,
Minorie, O, Minorie:
But weel kent the miller by her bonnie yellow hair,
'Twas his ain bonnie lass o' Minorie.