| There lived a lady by the north sea shore
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| Twa daughters were the bairns she bore
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| One was as bright as is the sun
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| Sae coal black grew the elder one
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| A knight came riding to the ladies' door
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| He travelled far to be their wooer
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| He courted one, aye with gloves and rings
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| But he loved the other above all things
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| «Sister, sister won’t you walk with me
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| An' see the ships sail upon sea?»
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| And as they stood on that windy shore
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| The elder sister pushed the younger o’er
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| Sometimes she sank or sometimes she swam
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| Crying, «Sister, reach to me your hand»
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| And there she floated just like a swan
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| The salt sea carried her body on
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| Two minstrels walking by the north sea strand
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| They saw the maiden, aye float to land
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| They made a harp out of her breast bone
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| The sound of which would melt a heart of stone
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| They took three locks of her yellow hair
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| And wi' them strung that harp so rare
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| The first string that those minstrels tried
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| Then terror seized the black-haired bride
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| The second string played a doleful sound
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| «The younger sister, oh she is drowned»
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la
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| The third string, it played beneath their bow
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| Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
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| «And surely now her tears will flow»
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| Fa la la la la la la la la la |