There bade a lord in the North Country
Hey o, my bonnie o
He had twa dochters, ane fair ane mean
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

A young man cam a wooin’ them
Hey o, my bonnie o
An’ he made the choice o‘ the youngest fair
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

The sisters went to see the boats cam in
Hey o, my bonnie o
And they walked till they cam tae the waters brim
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

The eldest sister pushed the youngest in
Hey o, my bonnie o
For she kent her sister she couldna swim
And the swan aye swims bonnie o

Sister sister lend tae me yer glove
Hey o, my bonnie o
And ye shall hae my ain true love
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

I’ll ne’er lend you neither haun nor glove
Hey o, my bonnie o
But I will hae yer ain true love
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

Sometime she sank sometime she swam
Hey o, my bonnie o
Till she cam tae rest in the millers dam
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

The miller drew her body to the shore
Hey o, my bonnie o
And there he stripped her of all she wore
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

He made a harp oot o’ her breist bane
Hey o, my bonnie o
The soond could o’ melted a hairt o’ stane
And the swan aye swims bonnie o

He cut locks oot o’ her yalla hair
Hey o, my bonnie o
An wi them he strung the harp sae rare
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

He’s taen the harp tae the lords high haa
Hey o, my bonnie o
An’ there was the faimily assembled all
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

It wis the eldest sister’s waddin’ day
Hey o, my bonnie o
But the only tune that the harp would play
Was the swan swims sae bonnie oh

There dis sit my faither the king
Hey o, my bonnie o
And there dis sit my mither the queen
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

There dis sit my false sister, Anne
Hey o, my bonnie o
Fa’s droont me all in sake o‘ a man
And the swan swims sae bonnie o

The miller wis hung upon the gallows high
Hey o, my bonnie o
And the sister wis burnt at the steak nearby
And the swan aye swims bonnie o