Emily Portman - Two Sisters

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Two little sisters living in a bower
Oleanda yolling
The youngest was the fairest flower
Down by the waters rolling
A Noble knight came riding by
The two little sisters caught his eye
He courted the eldest with diamonds and rings
But the youngest he loved above all things
Sister oh sister come down to the broom
And we’ll hear the black birds changing their tune
She’s taken her sister gently by the hand
And led her down to the river strand
And when they came to the rivers brim
The eldest pushed her sister in
Sister oh sister lend to me your hand
And you’ll be the heir to my riches and land
Sister oh sister that will never be
Till salt and oatmeal grow both of a tree
Sister oh sister reach me but your glove
And you shall have my own true love
I will lend you neither hand nor glove
But I will have your own true love
For your cherry cheeks and your long yellow hair
Made me a maiden for evermore
Sometimes she sank sometimes she swam
Until she came to the millers dam
Miller and his daughter stood at the door
And watched her floating down by the shore
Father oh father draw your dam
For there’s either a mermaid or a milk-white swan
The miller he dragged her out on to the shore
And he stripped her of all she wore
He laid her body on the bank to dry
A minstrel he came riding by
He made a harp out of her breast-bone
Whose sound could melt a heart of stone
He took three looks from her long yellow hair
And with them strung the harp so rare
He took the harp to the kings high hall
And there was the court assembled all
He laid the harp upon a stone
And it began to play alone
The only tune the harp would play was
Oleanda yolling
The only tune that the harp would play was
Down by the waters rolling
It sang ‘yonder sits my love the king
How he’ll weep at my burying
Yonder sits my sister the queen
She drowned me in the cold cold stream. http://www.emilyportman.co.uk/