"Your cherry cheeks and yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Gars me gang maiden for evermair,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.60
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Till she came to the mouth o' yon mill-dam,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
O out it came the miller's son,65
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And saw the fair maid soummin in,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O father, father, draw your dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!70
There's either a mermaid or a swan,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
[The miller quickly drew the dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And there he found a drown'd woman,75
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
"And sair and lang mat their teen last,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
That wrought thee sic a dowie cast,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!80
You coudna see her yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
For goud and pearl that was sae rare,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
You coudna see her middle sma85
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
For gouden girdle that was sae braw,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.