1: There wis twa sisters bade in a booer,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
There cam a knight tae be their wooer,
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie.
2: He's coorted the eldest with glove and ring,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
But he's lovit the youngest abeen aathing,
Be the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie.
3: He's coorted the eldest with brooch and knife,
But he's lovit the youngest a mair than his life.
4: The eldest she wis vexèd sair,
And sairit be the sister fair.
5: It was upon a mornin clear,
She cried untae her sister dear.
6: "Noo sister, sister come tak me be the hand,
And we'll walk doun be the water strand."
7: The youngest she stood upon a stane,
The eldest she cam and she shovit her in.
8: "Noo sister, sister come gie tae me yer hand,
And ye sall be heir tae aa my land.
9: "Ill faa the land that I should tak,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
For ye twinèd me fae my loves back,
Fae the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie."
10: "For yer cherry cheeks and yer yaller hair,
Gar me gae a maiden for evermair."
11: Sometimes she sunk, sometimes she swam,
Till she floated doun tae the miller's dam.
12: "Miller, miller come draw yer dam,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
There's either a mermaid or a milk-white swan,
In the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie."
13: The miller he hastened and drew his dam,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
And there he's fund a droonèd woman,
In the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie."
14: Ye quidna see her little, wee feet,
Her gowden tresses they were sae deep.
15: Ye quidna see her middle sae braw,
Her gowden girdle it wis sae braw.
16: Ye quidna see her fingers sae sma,
Wi diamond rings-a they were coverèd aa.
17: An aa amon her yaller hair,
A rope o pearls wis twinèd there.
18: By and cam a harper fine,
That harpèd for the king tae dine.
19: He's made a harp ootan her breast bane,
Fa soun would melt a hert o stane.
20: He's taen three strands o her yalla hair,
And wi them strung this harp sae fair.
21: He's gane untae her faither's haa,
And there wis the court assemblit aa.
22: He's lain the harp doun on a stane,
And syne it began tae play its lane.
23: "Yonner sits my faither the king,
And yonner sits my mither the queen."
24: "Yonner stands my brither Hugh,
And be him my William sweet and true."
25: But the last tune that the harp played then,
Binnorie O, Binnorie,
Was, "Waes tae ma sister, false Helen,
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie."
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