Two little sisters living in a bower
Oleander yolling
The youngest was the fairest flower
Down by the waters rolling
A noble knight came riding by
Oleander yolling
Two little sisters caught his eye
Down by the waters rolling
And he courted the eldest with diamonds and rings
Oleander yolling
The other he loved above all things
Down by the waters rolling
"Sister, sister, come down to the broom
Oleander yolling
We'll hear the black birds change their tune
Down by the waters rolling."
So she took her sister by the hand
Oleander yolling
And led her down to the river strand
Down by the waters rolling
And as they stood at the river's brim
Oleander yolling
The eldest pushed her sister in
"Sister, sister, reach me your hand
Oleander yolling
And you'll be the heir to my riches and land
Down by the waters rolling."
"Oh Sister, sister, that will never be
Oleander yolling
Till salt and oatmeal grow of a tree
Down by the waters rolling."
"Oh sister, sister, lend me but your glove
Oleander yolling
And you shall have my own true love
Down by the waters rolling."
"It's your own true love I'll have and more
Oleander yolling
But you shall never come to shore
For your cherry cheeks and your long yellow hair
Oleander yolling
Made me a maid for evermore."
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
Oleander yolling
Till she came to a miller's dam
By the waters rolling
The miller and his daughter stood at the door
Oleander yolling
And watched her body floating to shore
Down in the waters rolling
"Oh father, father, draw your dam
Oleander yolling
For it's either a mermaid or a swan
Down in the waters rolling."
The miller he dragged her out on to the shore
Oleander yolling
And he stripped her of all that she wore
Down in the waters rolling
He laid her body on the bank to dry,
Oleander yolling
A minstrel he came riding by
Down by the waters rolling
And he made a harp of her breast-bone
Oleander yolling
Whose sound could melt a heart of stone
He took three locks from her long yellow hair
Oleander yolling
With them strung a harp so rare
Down by the waters rolling
And he took the harp to the king's high hall
Oleander yolling
There was the court assembled all
Down by the waters rolling
And he laid the harp there upon a stone,
Oleander yolling
The harp began to play alone.
But the only tune that the harp would play was
Oleander yolling
The only tune that the harp would play
Down by the waters rolling
It sang: "Yonder sits my love the king,
Oleander yolling
How he'll weep at my burying,
By the waters rolling
And yonder sits my sister the queen
Oleander yolling
She drownèd me in the cold, cold stream,
Down in the waters rolling"