"O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"And ye shall be heir of half my land."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"And I'll be heir of all your land;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Shame fa' the hand that I should take,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"Its twin'd me, and my world's make."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, reach me but your glove,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"And sweet William shall be your love."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"And sweet William shall better be my love."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"Garr'd me gang maiden evermair."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Until she cam to the miller's dam,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O father, father, draw your dam!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"There's either a mermaid, or a milk-white swan."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The miller hasted and drew his dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there he found a drowned woman,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
For gowd and pearls that were sae rare,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.