The Cruel Sister

Intro Verse There lived a lady by the North Sea shore Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom Twa daughters were the bairns she bore Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse One was as bright as is the sun Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom Sae coal black grew the elder one Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse A knight came riding to the ladies' door Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom He travelled far to be their wooer Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse He courted one, aye, with gloves and rings Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom But he loved the other above all things Fa la la la la la la la la la Instrumental Verse "Sister, sister won't you walk with me Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom An' see the ships sail upon sea?" Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse And as they stood on that windy shore Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom The elder sister pushed her younger o'er Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse Sometimes she sank or sometimes she swam Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand" Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse And there she floated just like a swan Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom The salt sea carried her body on Fa la la la la la la la la la Instrumental Verse Two minstrels walking by the north sea strand Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom They saw the maiden, aye, float to land Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse They made a harp out of her breast bone Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom The sound of which would melt a heart of stone Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse They took three locks of her yellow hair Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom And wi' them strung that harp so rare Fa la la la la la la la la la Instrumental x3 Verse The first string that those minstrels tried Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom Then terror seized the black-haired bride Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse The second string played a doleful sound Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom "The younger sister, oh, she is drowned" Fa la la la la la la la la la Verse The third string, it played beneath their bow Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom "And surely now her tears will flow" Fa la la la la la la la la la