Well, there were twa sisters wha lived in a bouer
Oh an' they gaed out aye tae pu' a flouer
They gaed out aye tae pu' a flouer
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

Whan by there cam' a banisht man
Oh he's turned them 'roun' an' he's made them stand
He's turned them 'roun' an' he's made them stand
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

He's taen the first ane by the hand
Oh he's turned her 'roun' an' he's made her stand
He's turned her 'roun' an' he's made her stand
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"Noo it's will ye be a robber's wife?
Or will ye die by my penknife?
Will ye die by my penknife?"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"No, I'll no be a robber's wife
And nor will I die by your penknife
Will I die by your penknife"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

So he's taen oot his wee penknife
Oh and he hae taen o' her life
He hae taen o' her life
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie O

So he's taen the second ane by the hand
Oh he's turned her 'roun' an' he's made her stand
He's turned her 'roun' an' he's made her stand
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"Oh it's will ye be a robber's wife?
Or will ye die by my penknife?
Will ye die by my penknife?"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"No, I'll no be a robber's wife
Nor will I die by your penknife
Will I die by your penknife"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"For I hae brither in this country
Well, if you kill me, he'll kill thee
If you kill me, then it's he'll kill thee"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie O

"Gae tell tae me yer brither's name"
"My brither's name, it's Babylon
My brither's name, it's Babylon"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

"Oh sister, what hae I done tae thee?
Hae I done this dreadful thing tae thee?
Hae I done this dreadful thing tae thee?"
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie

So he's taen oot his wee penknife
An' he hae taen o' his ain life
He hae taen o' his ain life
A' doun by the bonnie banks o' Fordie O