A farmer there lived in the north country,
a hey ho and me bonny o
and he had daughters one, two, three,
the swans swim so bonny o
these daughters they walked by the river's brim
a hey ho and me bonny o
the eldest pushed the youngest in
the swans swim so bonny o.
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
a hey ho and me bonny o
and i will give you house and land
the swans swim so bonny o
i'll give you neither hand nor glove
a hey ho and me bonny o
unless you give me your own true love
the swans swim so bonny o.
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
a hey ho and me bonny o
until she came to a miller's dam
the swans swim so bonny o
the miller's daughter, dressed in red
a hey ho and me bonny o
she went for some water to make her bread
the swans swim so bonny o.
O father, o daddy, here swims a swan
a hey ho and me bonny o
it's very like a gentle woman
the swans swim so bonny o
they laid her on the bank to dry
a hey ho and me bonny o
there came a harper passing by
the swans swim so bonny o.
He made harp pins of her fingers fair
a hey ho and me bonny o
he made harp strings of her golden hair
the swans swim so bonny o
he made a harp of her breast bone
a hey ho and me bonny o
and straight it began to play alone
the swans swim so bonny o.
He brought it to her father's hall
a hey ho and me bonny o
and there was the court assembled all
the swans swim so bonny o
he laid the harp upon the stone
a hey ho and me bonny o
and straight it began to play alone
the swans swim so bonny o.
There does sit my father, the king
a hey ho and me bonny o
and yonder sits my mother the queen
the swans swim so bonny o
and there does sit my brother hugh
a hey ho and me bonny o
and by him william, sweet and true
the swans swim so bonny o.
And there does sit my false sister anne
a hey ho and me bonny o
who drowned me for the sake of a man
the swans swim so bonny o.