Folksongs

"Two Sisters"

As recorded by Clannad

1976

Ireland

In the following text, the burden is indicated in italics in the first stanza.
The form of each individual chorus is a-1-a-2-a-b-3-4, where a is the first line of the couplet, b is the second, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 are the first through fourth lines of the burden.

There were two sisters side by side
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
There were two sisters side by side
The boys are born for me
There were two sisters side by side
The eldest for young johnny cried
I'll be true for my love
If he'll be true to me

Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
He never bought the eldest a single thing

Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
The eldest never thought much of that

As they were walking by the foamy brim
The eldest pushed the youngest in

Sister, oh sister give me thy hand
And you can have johnny and all his land

Sister i won't give you my hand
And i'll have johnny and all his land

So there she sank and away she swam
Until she came to the miller's dam

Miller took away her gay gold ring
And then he pushed her in again

Miller he was hanged on the mountain head
The eldest sister was boiled in lead