There were two sisters sat in a bour;
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There came a knight to be their wooer.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

He courted the eldest with glove and ring,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
But he loed the youngest aboon a' thing.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

The eldest she was vexed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sore envied her sister fair.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
"Will ye go and see our father's [bad word] in?"
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

She's taen her by the lilly hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And led her down to the river strand.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

The youngest stude upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The eldest came and pushed her in.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And ye shall be heir of half my land."
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And I'll be heir of all your land.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"Shame fa the hand that I should take,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
It's twin'd me and my world's make."
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sweet William shall be your love."
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And sweet William shall better be my love.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Garrd me gang maiden evennair."
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Until she came to the miller's dam.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"O father, father, draw your dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
There's either a mermaid or a milk-white swan."
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And there he found a drowned woman.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

You could na see her middle sma,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Her gowden girdle was sae bra.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

And when he looked that ladye on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
He sighed and made a heavy moan.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

He made a harp of her breast-bone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Whose notes made sad the listening ear.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

He brought it to her father's hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And there was the court assembled all.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

He laid this harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And straight it began to play alone.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And yonder sits my mother, the queen.
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

"And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
And by him my William, sweet and [bad word] "
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie

But the last tune that the harp played then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie
Was "Woe to my sister, false Helen!"
By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie