They baith stood up upon a stane,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The eldest dang the youngest in,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.20
She swimmed up, sae did she down,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
Till she came to the Tweed mill-dam,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
The miller's servant he came out,25
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And saw the lady floating about,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
"O master, master, set your mill,"
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;30
"There is a fish, or a milk-white swan,"
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her yellow hair,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
[For] the scales o' gowd that were laid there,35
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her fingers sae white,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The rings o' gowd they were sae bright,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.40
They could not ken her middle sae jimp,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The stays o' gowd were so well laced,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her foot sae fair,45
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The shoes o' gowd they were so rare,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.