The Two Sisters- (MO-KY) 1920 Martin, Belden F
[From Belden, Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folklore Society, 1940, version F. One of the Few US versions that has a last verse similar to last verse in Child R:
The cat's behind the buttery shelf,
If you want any more, you may sing it yourself.
R. Matteson 2014]
F. 'The Two Sisters.' Taken down by Mrs. Frank Martin of Warrensburg (who earlier, when she was was Maude Williams, contributed the A version above and many other items in this collection) in 1920 from the singing of a woman who had 'spent her girlhood in Kentucky, where she learned this and a lot of other songs.'
There was an old woman lived by the sea shore,
Bow down,
There was an old woman lived by the sea shore,
Bow Your bend's to me,
There was an old woman lived by the sea shore,
And she had daughters three or four.
I'll be true to my love if my love be true to me.
The youngest one she caught a beau;
The old.est one she didn't know.
The beau he gave her a beaver hat;
The oldest one she didn't like that.
'Sister, dear sister, let's walk the sea shore
And see the ships come sailing o'er.'
As they were walking upon the sea-brim
The oldest pushed the youngest in,
'Sister, dear sister, lend me your hand,
And I'll give you my house and land.'
'I'll neither lend you my hand nor my glove,
For all You want is my true love.'
Down she sank and away she swam
Until she came to a miller's mill-dam.
'Miller, O miller, lend me your hand,
And I'll give you a golden ink-stand.'
The miller accepted the golden ink-stand
And then he pushed her in again.
The miller was hung on his mill-yard gate
For drownding my poor sister Kate.
The saddles and bridles are hanging on the shelf;
If you want any more you can sing it yourself.