There were two little sisters a- walking alone, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Two little sisters a- walking alone, by the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And the eldest pushed her sister in, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Pushed her sister into the stream, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
Oh she pushed her in and she watched her drown, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Watched her body floating down, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
Oh she floated up and she floated down, Ay, the gay and the grinding, Floats till she comes to the miller’s down By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
But out and come the miller’s son, Ay, the gay and the grinding. “Father dear, here swims a swan By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
Oh they laid her out on the bank to die/dry, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Fool with a fiddle come a’ riding by, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And he took some strands of her long yellow hair Ay, the gay and the grinding. Made some strings from her long yellow hair, by the bonny bonny bows of London.
And he made fiddle pegs from her long finger bone, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Made fiddle pegs from her long finger bone, by the bonny bonny bows of London.
And he made a fiddle out of her breast bone, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Sound would pierce a heart of stone, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London. But the only tune that the fiddle would play was Oh the bows of London. The only tune the fiddle would play was The Bonny Bonny bows of London
So the fool’s gone away to the King’s High Hall, Ay, the gay and the grinding. There was music, dancing and all, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And he laid this fiddle all down on the stone, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Played so loud it played all alone, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
It sang “yonder sits my father the king, Ay, the gay and the grinding. Yonder sits my father the king, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
“And yonder sits my mother the queen, Ay, the gay and the grinding. How she’ll weep at my burying, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
“And yonder she sits my sister Anne, Ay, the gay and the grinding. She who drownded me in the stream, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-01-17 08:27 pm (UTC)trad. (Martin Carthy)
There were two little sisters a- walking alone, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Two little sisters a- walking alone, by the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And the eldest pushed her sister in, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Pushed her sister into the stream, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
Oh she pushed her in and she watched her drown, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Watched her body floating down, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
Oh she floated up and she floated down, Ay, the gay and the grinding,
Floats till she comes to the miller’s down By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
But out and come the miller’s son, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
“Father dear, here swims a swan By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
Oh they laid her out on the bank to die/dry, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Fool with a fiddle come a’ riding by, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And he took some strands of her long yellow hair Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Made some strings from her long yellow hair, by the bonny bonny bows of London.
And he made fiddle pegs from her long finger bone, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Made fiddle pegs from her long finger bone, by the bonny bonny bows of London.
And he made a fiddle out of her breast bone, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Sound would pierce a heart of stone, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
But the only tune that the fiddle would play was Oh the bows of London.
The only tune the fiddle would play was The Bonny Bonny bows of London
So the fool’s gone away to the King’s High Hall, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
There was music, dancing and all, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
And he laid this fiddle all down on the stone, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Played so loud it played all alone, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.
It sang “yonder sits my father the king, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
Yonder sits my father the king, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
“And yonder sits my mother the queen, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
How she’ll weep at my burying, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”
“And yonder she sits my sister Anne, Ay, the gay and the grinding.
She who drownded me in the stream, By the Bonny Bonny Bows of London.”