The Bonny Swans (Live From The Palace Of Fine Arts, United States / 1994)

A farmer there lived in the north country
A-hey-ho and me 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 and me bonny-o
The eldest pushed the youngest in
The swans swim so bonny-o

Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
And I will give you house and land
The swans swim so bonny-o

I'll give you neither a hand nor glove
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
Unless you give me your own true love
The swans swim so bonny-o

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
Until she came to a miller's dam
The swans swim so bonny-o

The miller's daughter, dressed in red
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
She went for some water to make a bread
The swans swim so bonny-o

Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
It's very like a gentle woman
The swans swim so bonny-o

He laid her on the bank to dry
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
There came a harper passing by
The swans swim so bonny-o

He made harp pins of her fingers fair
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
The swans swim so bonny-o

He made a harp of her breast bone
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
The swans swim so bonny-o

He brought it to her father's hall
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
And there was the court, assembled all
The swans swim so bonny-o

He laid the harp upon a stone
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny-o

And there does sit my father the King
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
And yonder sits my mother the Queen
The swans swim so bonny-o

And there does sit my brother Hugh
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
And by him William, sweet and true
The swans swim so bonny-o

And there does sit my false sister, Anne
A-hey-ho and me bonny-o
Who drowned me for the sake of a man
The swans swim so bonny-o