A farmer there lived in the north country, a hey ho and me bonny o And he had daughters one, two, three, The swans swim so bonny o These daughters they walked by the river's brim a hey ho and me bonny o The eldest pushed the youngest in The swans swim so bonny o.
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand a hey ho and me bonny o and I will give you house and land The swans swim so bonny o I'll give you neither hand nor glove a hey ho and me bonny o Unless you give me your own true love The swans swim so bonny o.
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam a hey ho and me bonny o Until she came to a miller's dam The swans swim so bonny o The miller's daughter, dressed in red a hey ho and me bonny o She went for some water to make her bread The swans swim so bonny o.
O father, o daddy, here swims a swan a hey ho and me bonny o It's very like a gentle woman The swans swim so bonny o They laid her on the bank to dry a hey ho and me bonny o There came a harper passing by The swans swim so bonny o.
He made harp pins of her fingers fair a hey ho and me bonny o He made harp strings of her golden hair The swans swim so bonny o He made a harp of her breast bone a hey ho and me bonny o And straight it began to play alone The swans swim so bonny o.
He brought it to her father's hall a hey ho and me bonny o And there was the court assembled all The swans swim so bonny o He laid the harp upon the stone a hey ho and me bonny o And straight it began to play alone The swans swim so bonny o.
There does sit my father, the King a hey ho and me bonny o And yonder sits my mother the Queen The swans swim so bonny o And there does sit my brother Hugh a hey ho and me bonny o And by him William, sweet and true The swans swim so bonny o.
And there does sit my false sister Anne a hey ho and me bonny o Who drowned me for the sake of a man The swans swim so bonny o.