There were two sisters served in a bower
There came a knight to be there lover
He wooed the eldest with glove, and ring
But he loved the youngest above all things
He wooed the eldest with brooch, and knife
But he loved the youngest with all his life

The eldest she was vexed, and sore
And could not envy her sister more
The eldest to the youngest did say
Our father's ship comes home today

She’s taken her by the lily hand
Lead her down to the river strand
The youngest to the cliffside went
The eldest came and pushed her in
Took her by the little small
Pushed her back int he water cold

Sister, sister reach out your hand
And you shall be the heir to half my lands
Oh sister I'll not reach my hand
And I'll be heir of all your lands
Sister, sister reach out your glove
And Sweet William shall be your love
Think not on hope, or hand, or glove
And Sweet William shall be my love
You’re cheery cheeks, and your yellow hair
Have made me a maid forever more
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
Until she came to the Miller's dam
The miller's son he did come out
Saw the lady float about
'Father, father draw your dam
I've spied a milk white swan.'

The miller hasted, and drew his dam
And there he found a drowned woman
He could not see her yellow hair
For gold and pearls that were so rare
He could not see her little slight
Her golden girdle was so bright

The King's bard were passing by
A sweet veiled face he chanced to spy
And when he heard that lady moan
He sighed and made a weary groan
He made a harp of her breast bone
Who sounds would melt a heart of stone
And with her fingers slight, and small
Some tuning picks he made with all
The strings he wound with her yellow hair
Whose notes made sad the listing air

He brought her to her father's hall
There was the court assembled all
He laid the haps upon the stone
It began to play alone
Oh yonder sits my father the king
And yonder sits my mother the queen
And yonder stands my brother Hugh
And there’s my love sweet and true
You may ask why I lay dead
There sits my sister false, ?
Goddamn her bones, goddamn her head
For it is she who brought my death
Goddamn her bones for it is she
Who pushed me in, and drowned me

Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me
Play me sister, come play me