Twa Sisters- Mrs Mary Stewart Robertson (Aber) 1932 Carpenter
[From the James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/4/Q, pp. 07726-07727. This is a third different type of ballad, "Swans Swim Bonnie" from the Collection. A similar refrain, printed by Scott in 1802, was also reportedly heard by Cunningham in the early 1800s. This is a Scottish version of the early Irish refrain, which is both Scottish and Irish. The opening stanza is similar to the 2nd version known by Willie Mathieson (see also in this collection) in which skin color is immediately established as the murder motive. The playing of the song, "The Swan Swims Bonnie, O" from the harps reveals that the drowned sister was killed by her remaining sister who is then burned.
R. Matteson 2018]
Twa Sisters- sung by Mrs Mary Stewart Robertson , 6 Auchreddie Road, New Deer, Scotland, 1932, learned from her mother, never saw in print.
1. There wis twa sisters lived in yon glen,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
Een o them wis fair, an' the other wis din,
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
2. "Sister dear sister, come an' tak a walk,"
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
"An' ye'll see winders afore ye come bak,"
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
3. "Pit your fit (feet) on yonder marble stone,"
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' sae slyly she dung her in,
An' the swan swims sae bonnie, O.
4. "Sister O siter, lend me yer richt hand,"
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
"An' I'll mak ye lady o a' my land,
An' I'll stand ahin the door when the lord comes in,"
An' the swan swims sae bonnie, O.
5. "Sister dear sister lend me yer hand,"
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
"I didn't come here to lend you my hand,
It's because you are fair, an' I am din,"
An' the swan swims sae bonnie, O.
6. Noo the millert had a dochter an' her bein' a maid,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' she went oot for water to bake some breid,
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
7. "O father there swims in yer dam,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
"Either a maid or a milk-white swan,"
An' the swan swims sae bonnie, O.
8. The millert he gaed oot an' lat off his dam
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' they laid her on a thorn for to dry,
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
9. The king's best harper he'd been passin' by,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
He's cut off her fingers sae sma',
For to mak pins for evermair,
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
10. The king's second best harper he'd been passin' by,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' he's ta'en three tits o her bonnie gowd hair,
For to mak strin gs for his harp evermair
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
11. The third best harper he wis passin' by,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' he's cut oot her breistbane an' a harp he his made,
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
12. An' the three went up tee the king's hall door,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' they played an' they played an' they far better played,
An' aye the overcome o' the song,
"The swan swims bonnie, O."
13. Noo the king's dochter she came doon the stairs,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
Says, "Harpers, harpers, change your tune,
An I'll gie you my gowd an' my land,"
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
14. They say, "O fair lady, we canna change wir tune,"
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
"We canna change wir tune, till we be deen,"
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
15. Doon cam her mother and her oldest brother,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
Says, "Harpers harpers, play ower the tune,
An' we'll make ye lords fan (when) ye are done
An' the swan swims bonnie, O.
16. They've ta'en her oot an' they've kill't her by fire,
Heigh, ho my nannie O!
An' they've burned her tee the harper's desire,
An' the swan swims sae bonnie, O.