The Bonny Swans

A farmer there lived in the north country

A hey ho bonny o

And he had daughters one, two, three

The swans swim so bonny o

These daughters they walked by the river's brim

A hey ho bonny o

The eldest pushed the youngest in

The swans swim so bonny o

Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand

With a hey ho a bonny o

And I will give you house and land

The swans swim so bonny o

I'll give you neither hand nor glove

With a hey ho a bonny o

Unless you give me your own true love

The swans swim so bonny o

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam

With a hey ho and a bonny o

Until she came to a miller's dam

The swans swim so bonny o

The miller's daughter, dressed in red

With a hey ho and a bonny o

She went for some water to make some bread

The swans swim so bonny o

Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan

With a hey ho and a bonny o

It's very like a gentle woman

The swans swim so bonny o

They placed her on the bank to dry

With a hey ho and a bonny o

There came a harper passing by

The swans swim so bonny o

He made harp pins of her fingers fair

With a hey ho and a bonny o

He made harp strings of her golden hair

The swans swim so bonny o

He made a harp of her breast bone

With a hey ho and a bonny o

And straight it began to play alone

The swans swim so bonny o

He brought it to her father's hall

With a hey ho and a bonny o

And there was the court, assembled all

The swans swim so bonny o

He laid the harp upon a stone

With a hey ho and a bonny o

And straight it began to play lone

The swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my father the King

With a hey ho and a bonny o

And yonder sits my mother the Queen

The swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my brother Hugh

With a hey ho and a bonny o

And by him William, sweet and true

The swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my false sister, Anne

With a hey ho and a bonny o

Who drowned me for the sake of a man

The swans swim so bonny o