By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.80
And when he looked that lady on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He made a harp of her breast-bone,85
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;90
Whose notes made sad the listening ear;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He brought it to her father's hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there was the court assembled all;95
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He laid his harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And straight it began to play alone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.100
"O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;"
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie
"And yonder stands my brother Hugh,105
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And by him my William, sweet and true."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
But the last tune that the harp play'd then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;110
Was—"Woe to my sister, false Helen!"
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.