Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 104. From Mrs. King, Kilbarchan.
| 1 |
There were three sisters lived in a bouir,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And the youngest was the fairest flouir.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 2 |
'O sister, sister, gang down to yon sand,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And see your father's ships coming to dry land.'
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 3 |
O they have gane down to yonder sand,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
To see their father's ships coming to dry land.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 4 |
'Gae set your fit on yonder stane,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
Till I tye up your silken goun.'
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 5 |
She set her fit on yonder stane,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And the auldest drave the youngest in.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 6 |
'O sister, sister, tak me by the hand,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And ye'll get a' my father's land.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 7 |
'O sister, sister, tak me by the gluve,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
An ye'll get Willy, my true luve.'
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 8 |
She had a switch into her hand,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And ay she drave her frae the land.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 9 |
O whiles she sunk, and whiles she swam,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
Until she swam to the miller's dam.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 10 |
The miller's daughter gade doun to Tweed,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
To carry water to bake her bread.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 11 |
'O father, O father, what's yon in the dam?
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
It's either a maid or a milk-white swan.'
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 12 |
They have tane her out till yonder thorn,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
And she has lain till Monday morn.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 13 |
She hadna, hadna twa days lain,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
Till by there came a harper fine.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
| 14 |
He made a harp o her breast-bane,
Hech, hey, my Nannie O
That he might play forever thereon.
And the swan swims bonnie O |
