The Cruel Sister- Composite from Miss Charlotte Brookes/Mrs. Brown; Scott's Minstrelsy, II, 143 (1802). Child- Version C
[Child's Version C comes from Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border: Consisting of Historical and Romantic Ballads by Sir Walter Scott in 1802. Below Child's version is Scott's notes and text (which are the same, differing only in punctuation). According to what is published by Scott the name of woman who gave the ballad is Brookes not Brooke. The name in the last stanza Helen may be Alison (See: Additional Notes for a second version of C.)
R. Matteson 2014]
According to Child: "Scott printed in 1802 a copy (C) compounded from one "in Mrs. Brown's Manuscript" (B b) and a fragment of fourteen stanzas which had been transcribed from recitation by Miss Charlotte Brooke, adopting a burden found in neither. Jamieson followed, four years after, with a tolerably faithful, though not, as he says, verbatim, publication of his copy of Mrs. Brown's ballad, somewhat marred, too, by acknowledged interpolations. This text of Mrs. Brown's is now correctly given, with the whole or fragments of eleven others, hitherto unpublished."
In a foot-note Child adds: Cunningham has re-written Scott's version, Songs of Scotland, u, 109, 'The Two Fair Sisters.' He says, "I was once deeply touched with the singing of this romantic and mournful song. ... I have ventured to print it in the manner I heard it sung." There is, to be sure, no reason why he should not have heard his own song sung, once, and still less why he should not have been deeply touched with his own pathos. Cunningham adds one genuine stanza, resembling the first of G, J, P:
Two fair sisters lived in a bower,
Hey ho my nonnie O
There came a knight to be their wooer.
While the swan swims bonnie
THE CRUEL SISTER- Child 10: The Twa Sisters- Version C
Scott's Minstrelsy, 1802, II, 143. Compounded from B b and a fragment of fourteen stanzas transcribed from the recitation of an old woman by Miss Charlotte Brookes.
1 There were two sisters sat in a bour;
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There came a knight to be their wooer.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
2 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
3 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
4 The eldest she was vexed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sore envied her sister fair.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
5 The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
'Will ye go and see our father's ships come in?'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
6 She's taen her by the lilly hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And led her down to the river strand.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
7 The youngest stude upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The eldest came and pushed her in.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
8 She took her by the middle sma,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And dashed her bonnie back to the jaw.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
9 'O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And ye shall be heir of half my land.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
10 '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
11 'Shame fa the hand that I should take,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
It's twin'd me and my world's make.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
12 'O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sweet William shall be your love.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
13 'Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sweet William shall better be my love.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
14 'Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Garrd me gang maiden evermair.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
15 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
16 '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
17 The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And there he found a drowned woman.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
18 You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
19 You could na see her middle sma,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Her gowden girdle was sae bra.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
20 A famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
21 And when he looked that ladye on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
He sighed and made a heavy moan.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
22 He made a harp of her breast-bone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
23 The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Whose notes made sad the listening ear.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
24 He brought it to her father's hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And there was the court assembled all.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
25 He laid this harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And straight it began to play alone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
26 'O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And yonder sits my mother, the queen.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
27 'And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And by him my William, sweet and true.'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
28 But the last tune that the harp playd then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Was 'Woe to my sister, false Helen!'
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie
------------------------------
THE CRUEL SISTER [As is appears in Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border: Consisting of Historical and Romantic Ballads by Sir Walter Scott in 1802. ]
This ballad differs essentially from that which has been published in various collections, under the title of Binnorie. It is compiled from a copy in Mrs Brown's MS. intermixed with a beautiful fragment, of fourteen verses, transmitted to the editor by J. C. Walker, Esq. the ingenious historian of the Irish bards. Mr Walker, at the same time, favoured the editor with the following note:—
"I am indebted to my departed friend, Miss Brookes, for the foregoing pathetic fragment. Her account of it was as follows: This song was transcribed, several years ago, from the memory of an old woman, who had no recollection of the concluding verses: probably the beginning may also be lost, as it, "seems to commence abruptly."— The first verse aud burden of the fragment run thus:
O sister, sister, reach thy hand;
Hey ho my Nanny, O;
And you shall be heir of all my land,
While the swan swims bonny, O'
The first part of this chorus seems to be corrupted from the common burden of Hey Nanny Nonny, alluded to in the song beginning "Sigh no more, ladye." — The chorus retained in this edition is the most common and popular; but Mrs Brown's copy bears a yet different burden, beginning thus:
There were twa sisters sat in a hour,
Edinborough, Edinborough;
There were twa sisters sat in a bour,
Stirling for aye-
There were twa sisters eat in a bour,
There cam a knight to be their wooer,
Bonny St Johnstoun stands upon Tay.
THE CRUEL SISTER
There were two sisters sat in a bour;
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
There came a knight to be their wooer;
By the bonny milldams 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 milldams 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 milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest she was vexed sair;
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sore envied her sister fair;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
—"Will ye go and see our father's ships come in?"--
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
She's tae'n her by the lilly hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And led her down to the river strand;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The youngest stude upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The eldest came and pushed her in;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
She took her by the middle sma',
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And dashed her bonnie back to the jaw,
By the bonny milldums of Binnorie.
—" O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And ye shall be heir of half my land."—
By the bonny milldams 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 milldams of Binnorie.
—" Shame fa' the hand that I should take,
. Binnorie, O Binnorie;
It's twin'd me, and my world's make."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sweet William shall be your love."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.—
" Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sweet William shall better be my love,"—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Garr'd me gang maiden evermair."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swain,
Binnorie, O Binnorie; Untill she came to the miller's dam,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
—" O father, father, draw your dam!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
There's either a mermaid or a milkwhite swan."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there he found a drowned woman,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could na see her middle sma',
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Her gowden girdle was sae bra';
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
A famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
And when he looked that ladye on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
He sighed and made a heavy moan;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He made a harp of her breast bone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose notes made sad the listening ear;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He brought it to her father's hall;
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there was the court assembled all;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He laid this harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And straight it began to play alone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And by him my William sweet and true."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
But the last tune that the harp play'd then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Was " Woe to my sister, false Helen !"—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.