Two Sisters - Steeleye Span

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